Mr & Mrs Smith
by the-Paigey-pooh
Summary: Rose and the Tenth Doctor (version two) are adjusting to life and each other in the parallel universe. Between establishing his place at Torchwood, meeting new people with his new identity and trying to woo Rose, "John Smith" has a lot to occupy his new life. Tentoo/Rose, and plenty of new characters to meet! My first Who-fic, so I hope you enjoy it. Better than I make it sound!
1. Part 1-Codename: The Doctor

**Alright, so this is my first attempt on this story, which I have quite a few ideas for. I might take this down and edit it later, but as for now I'm happy with it. I don't own Doctor Who obviously, but maybe someday ;) Enjoy, and please review!**

The "Doctor" surveyed his new office, trying to ignore the irony of him, of all beings, having an _office_. Offices represented tenures, security, and permanency in one field. In the life he'd lead for centuries he'd never so much as had a permanent dimension to stay tethered to; so the sensation was overwhelming in a way.

But then his eye flicked across a picture frame with a little blue bow stuck to one corner; the picture was of him and Rose Tyler holding hands on some windy morning in Wales not two months ago. You could see the laughter in their eyes and the white knuckles of their grip to each other's hand, like they'd rather die than let go. And he was reminded of the glorious consolation that came with a human existence; Rose. The chance to spend a lifetime with her was more than he'd ever dreamed would happen to him.

He felt a pang of gratitude and regret for his other self, who he was sure was quite lonely at the moment. He thanked him, once again.

He grinned and continued his inspection of the space. The desk was mahogany, with a delightful spinning chair, and was tastefully decorated with black and white photos of Hubble satellite findings. There was a small filing cabinet in the corner and a screen flanked with a gauntlet of controls and buttons for conferences or other uses. It was spacious as far as Torchwood was concerned. He was simply glad they'd had the decency to decline his requirement for four years in the field. He'd argued he'd had more years "in the field" than anyone who would ever come through Torchwood and Rose had smirked at the looks on the faces of their superiors. No one had had the courage to argue.

He soon found himself lost in a pile of paperwork not ten minutes later, after a push-nosed clerk had sauntered in, demanding it be proofed by Monday, whatever that meant. Even if he didn't need to experience field work, he'd have trouble catching up with the vernacular around here without Rose's help.

He picked up a pen, manically clicking it and drumming his fingers as he read through the documents, barely processing the words and more thinking about how he'd rather be doing something else. He sighed, leaning back in his chair and kicking his red Chuck Taylors up onto the table, feeling drowsy all of sudden. _Is it drowsiness? Or boredom… no difference I suppose..._ he pondered as he swiveled from side to side. He had just reclined his head to close his eyes when Rose walked in.

She glanced at the stack of papers and back at his posture. "Procrastinating a new habit of yours?" she teased, sitting on the edge of his desk. He peered up at her through one open eye. "No, but meaningless monotony is definitely not habit forming. You said this was a fun job."

Rose scoffed. "I'd love to see you fold shirts or count change all day." She said, smirking at him.

He raised his eyebrows at her, continuing to remain unconvinced. Rose sighed.

"To be honest… I had a hard time adjusting too. Life in the TARDIS is _completely_ different; but you know that I suppose. I guess after a while, I just had to convince myself that what I was doing was important. Defending the Earth and all… and finding you, well him, who's you…" she admitted.

The Doctor frowned in contemplation. He was simply glad she'd referred to him as if he was the Doctor. He'd grown tired of Rose treating him like a diseased child when they first "met". He _was_ the Doctor; just another version of him, no different than a regeneration. But all in all, what Rose had said was true. All one needed to drive a purpose was the feeling that they were significant. He'd never been without knowing he was important in the scheme of things, but recently he'd found himself lost in the madness of it all, desperate to just jump in the TARDIS and escape all the mundane things in this life; like the mountain of paperwork on his desk.

Rose glanced down at the papers, and a small smile twitched on her lips. Her Doctor, the most fantastic and brilliant man she'd ever known, reduced to paperwork.

"How's about I finish that up for you tonight… on one condition." She offered.

The Doctor sat up in his seat, a prick of smile spreading on his face. "What might that be?" He asked.

Rose rolled her eyes up to the ceiling. "You're cooking; for the rest of the week. Whatever I like." She said.

The Doctor smiled. "Done!" he said, swinging his feet to the floor and reaching across the desk to shake her hand. "But am I to expect a week of nothing but chips for dinner?" he smirked.

"Oh shut up." She said smacking his hand away playfully. He grinned, grabbing her hand anyway.

"In the meantime, is there anything else we could be doing?" he asked walking around the desk, her hand still clasped in his.

"Well, have you met Carla yet?" Rose asked as they walked through the open doorway.

Rose peered down at Cardiff, her face hovering over the steam of the mug in front of her. The glass on the wide window had frosted, tiny tendrils of geometric crystalline ice scattered over the surface.

She'd been called to headquarters to discuss what was to happen to her Doctor. She'd found a place for him at Torchwood as the new Head of the Time Travel agency, which she thought suited him perfectly, just as the position had suited her two years ago. It was only fitting that she be promoted to a different department; and she demanded the Doctor be given her former job.

Life had been turned on its head after that day on Bad Wolf Bay, the first and last time with the Doctor; both of them. Her head still hadn't quite wrapped around it. First it had been accepting this meta-crisis man as the Doctor, and when he'd proven to be identical in every aspect that counted, it had been another feat for her to accept that she'd grown to choose this Doctor over the other one. She stilled loved The Doctor, wherever, whenever, he was; but this Doctor, her Doctor, was the one who had stayed, the one who she could be with forever, the one who had _finally said it_. That had changed everything. They needed each other in a way that was different from the days that they'd been gallivanting around through time and space. It was an everyday existence that she'd grown, if not to prefer, to at least be fonder of.

She glanced over her shoulder where he slept, his hair tangled and his arms lolling over the edge. He'd never exactly been a graceful sleeper, but something about his posture now reminded her of Donna. It had been strange at first, accepting so much affection and intimacy and subtle familiarity from this Doctor, but it felt so right that she succumbed to it more frequently as the time passed. They'd only just started sharing a bed together two weeks before, and it was definitely something she'd never thought she'd get to experience. He wouldn't dare go so far as to insist to _share_ share a bed with her, but something about the way he held her communicated that he wasn't totally against the idea. And the more Rose thought about it, neither was she.

But to complicate their relationship even further while everything was still not taken care of between the two of them was not something she was particularly fond of doing.

She focused her attention back to the city beneath her. She could see all the way out to the water, and watching the waves calmed her thoughts. The remedy for almost anything it seemed was a warm mug of freshly brewed tea, and a pleasant view.

She took a moment to really ponder her future. Not the specifics, like the rent, or her career; but the unknown, unplanned things. Would she marry this Doctor? Could she marry him? Or would they exist like this forever, as two people stuck in between commitments and boundaries? If they did marry… what then? Would they live life in a day to day manner, or try at every opportunity to break free? Could the Doctor settle down with her? Could they raise a family together; would he want to? What kind of life would that child have, being reared up by a Time-Lord, or, well, half there-of?

At that moment, she heard a rustling noise followed by an intense sigh and moan. "Up before me, Rose?" he murmured. "This is a new development…" He swung his legs over the edge, sitting up to rub his eyes and rumple his hair.

Rose sipped her tea, waiting for him to orient himself before he spoke. He staggered over to her, collapsing onto the sofa facing the scenery beneath them. "Or could it be you never got any sleep to begin with?" he said, running his finger up and down her bare arm. Rose closed her eyes, leaning into him, and letting him embrace her. "Right you are…" she said, setting her mug against the side table.

"What's on your mind 'Agent Bad Wolf'?" her Doctor asked, a lilt of teasing in his tone of voice. He swept a lock of hair from her face, as she glanced at him blushing. Her codename wasn't necessarily original to the two of them, and it had baffled her co-workers; she'd never bothered to explain its significance to anyone, and she wouldn't want to.

"Tell me this, Doctor… what have you always wanted to do? There must be something you haven't done; never got the chance, couldn't, didn't have the opportunity." She began, and looked over to him.

"You aren't changing the subject are you, Rose?" he said admonishingly.

Rose shook her head with a small grin. "No really, this is what I've been thinking about." She reassured.

The Doctor squeezed her shoulder, a smile spreading on his face, and he let out a small laugh, like he'd thought of something ironic. "I've already done everything I wanted to do." He answered, staring wistfully down at her. "Well… almost."

"Almost, what then?" she asked, shifting underneath his arm.

"Well, all I wanted since I met you was to find a way to show you how much you meant to me. Then when I lost you, when I left before I could tell you… I regretted everything. All I wanted was to see you again… and a part of me wished I could somehow give you the life you deserved without taking you from Jackie… and you can guess the rest. I've accomplished all of that. Only a few more things on my check list; but all in due time, Ms. Tyler." He explained. Rose reclined her head against his chest, hearing his single heartbeat, and his lungs pulse as he sighed, "And you?"

Rose surveyed the Welsh landscape, trying to find the words. "Much the same I suppose… Before I met you, well, I-I don't remember. I never had goals or dreams… just my mum and Mickey, every day. You've taken me everywhere I wanted to go and more…" she said. She smiled in his silence.

"And I got Queen Victoria to say 'I am not amused.'" She added with a laugh, that the Doctor echoed grinning.

Rose liked this. This heart-to-heart; maybe they weren't baring their souls to each other, but at least she had accepted him as her Doctor and was intent on growing ever closer to him. She felt the strong desire to kiss him, while they were light-hearted and familiar and not restricted by thoughts of the other Doctor out there somewhere.

She turned to face him, moving her lips toward him and allowing him to meet her halfway. At first it was cautious and uncertain, but as he shifted to run his hands through her hair it became tender and intimate, his hands lightly touching the arch of her back, inviting her closer, not wanting to rush anything. Rose took this gesture to dive into the kiss, and they fell against the sofa, his hands delicately tracing the contours of her back as their lips smacked and played a soft tug-of-war. They stayed locked like this, cautiously but earnestly exploring each other, smiling at each other in the moments when they came up for air.

"Rose…" he began breathless, letting his fingers brush her skin just underneath the hem of her night shirt, "This is what I've always wanted to do…" He grinned into their next kiss and she peppered his jaw line and neck with tiny kisses.

"Me, too." She answered finally, lying down on his chest to catch her breath. She felt his single heart beat once again and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not accepting you the moment you decided to stay with me. I'm taking you for granted, wanting something I can't have. I didn't think about the fact that you wanted the rest of this life with me just as much as I wanted to be in the TARDIS for the rest of mine. I'm sorry we couldn't have been like this a month ago." She said, letting it all spill out of her. The Doctor rubbed her back, shushing her and whispering reassurances.

"Rose, never, ever be sorry. I love you, no matter when or where we are. I always will. That's why I stayed; it's why I'll never leave you. You… are my reason for living. Nothing in all of time and space could ever replace you, and I wouldn't trade you for anything, _ever_." He said with conviction, sitting up so she could see his face.

Rose let a tear slip down her cheek, and he tenderly wiped it away. "Oh, Rose…" he said, searching deep in her eyes.

"I love you." She said, the first time she'd ever said it back to him. Funny… she had been the first to say it to the original Doctor, and he'd never actually said it back. This Doctor, _her_ Doctor, however had been the first to say it to her, and she'd yet to exchange the sentiment. She could imagine how it must have felt for him; the same way she had felt, except perhaps worse because he hadn't been given the opportunity to dream that she would've said it, given the moment. Rose had been given plenty of moments, a month of being right down the hall… and she hadn't even told him she loved him.

The looks on his face told her he didn't think a thing of it; and the smile in his eyes, and the tenderness in which he dried her tears spoke volumes of how faultless he thought she was.

"How long are you going to stay with me?" she asked finally, her eyes brimming.

"Forever…" he said, kissing her.

"John Smith, eh?" Carla inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Codename: Doctor!" he replied, extending a hand for her to shake.

She deftly peeled off her heavy radiation resistant gloves and accepted his hand shaking it heartily.

"Excellent! Carla Mitsy. Codename: Raven, if you're so keen to know." She said hurriedly, placing her glove back on her hand as she did so.

"Pleased to meet you, Ms. Mitsy. I've heard so much about you from Rose." He greeted.

"Charmed, as well, sir. And it seems Rose has told me just as much about you. Am I to understand the two of you are an item?" she asked, her eyebrows wagging in intrigue.

The Doctor rubbed his neck, flushing. "She said that, did she?"

Carla laughed. "Never told me so. But I'm quite clever. Nothing gets past me at this place. And you… you have that look all over you. Even your posture tells the truth." She explained in her rushed voice.

She turned her attention back to the complex system of wires and triggers spread out on the countertop before her. The Doctor bounced on his heels with his hands shoved in his pockets sheepishly.

"Well, if that's the case, then, yeah, Rose and I are quite close." He admitted, surveying the tech displayed in front of them.

"Welcome back, by the way." She said soddering a stripped copper wire to the surface of a platinum plate.

The Doctor bit his lower lip, looking quite befuddled. "Pardon?"

"You've come from that other dimension, parallel universe, what have you; I'm sure of it. No matter what they all told me, you're the real reason they had me work out that Dimension Cannon. Tell me what you like about Donna Noble; Rose just wanted _you_ back." She said, stripping a wire aggressively with her pliers as she spoke.

The Doctor winced had her ferocity; something about this woman gave the impression that she could easily overtake the world if she had the time or the whim. Especially her rather intelligent guess as to where he'd come from. He knew she'd never in a million years work out the meta-crisis, because that hardly made sense to_ him _at times.

"I-I did come from that universe, yeah." He said, feeling flustered.

"Well, I guess you were more important to retrieve than Mickey. He's been here for years, and what does he get for it? Abandoned in a parallel world. Pity… fodder absolute fodder."

The Doctor stifled a laugh. He could tell her Mickey left voluntarily, but something about the way this Carla woman chose to portray Mickey made him think that's the last thing she would accept. He guessed that Rose had filled at least _someone_ in on what had happened to Mickey. But he got that strong vibe that Carla preferred being left in the dark and just carrying out her own theories, which he was sure she was used to being correct.

Thus, the Doctor felt it safe to change the subject.

"So, what is this project?" he asked, leaning forward to get a better look.

"If I told you I'd have to kill you." She said with a smirk, never looking up.

The Doctor scoffed with a smile. "Well, then; but you'll find you aren't the only clever one in the room. That's a plasma ray, well, the makings of one. That piece there will make the trigger, but not before you stabilize that flux; speaking of which, you're gonna need a bigger wire." He said, picking through the various pieces, much to Carla's chagrin.

"Well, aren't you just manna from heaven, Mr. Smith?" she said her voice of icy sarcasm trying to mask the honest astonishment in her eyes.

"That's _Doctor_ Smith to you, Ms. Mitsy. Now where do you store your sonic tools?" he said, sifting through the drawers.

Carla let her mouth hang open. "Well, in all my blasted days… if you must know, the _prototypes_ are classified and unfortunately, not fit for use at the moment." She said, crossing her arms.

"Not fit for use? Ten quid I can fix that…" he murmured, continuing to pry through Carla's stash.

Carla raised her eyebrow surreptitiously, eyeing him with a look of bemusement. "I'll take that on, sir." She said finally.

The Doctor glanced back up at Carla Mitsy, whose face was quivering with a smile she was trying to conceal.

"Welcome to Torchwood, Doctor Smith." She said, tossing him a key.

Rose found herself adjusting the Doctor's scarf yet again. "Doesn't it bother you when that thing drags the ground?" she asked incredulous.

The Doctor gave her a hearty smile. "Not a bit. In fact, I rather like it that way."

"Well, I'll just remember that when you fall on your face." Rose quipped.

The Doctor grinned again, pulling Rose to his side as they strolled. Nothing could compare to this lovely morning in Cardiff, the shining and perfect day on which Rose loved him. They strode to catch up with Pete and Jackie, who'd let them fall behind.

"I can't stand Cardiff… every time we come here its always foggy and dreary. Does no good for my poor sinuses, Pete." Jackie protested, bundled up and hunched against the cold.

Pete chuckled. "Jacks, I told you, you could've waited in the suite!"

"Oh come off it, I wouldn't miss this one's initiation for the world!" Jackie said, looking back at the Doctor. He smiled, amused at Jackie's sudden fondness of him. She was treating his introduction at Torchwood HQ like his first day of primary school.

Pete looked down at his watch. "We're going to miss it if they don't hurry it up."

"Dad, they won't start until you're there!" Rose said as she and the Doctor caught up with them.

Pete sighed, throwing his hands up. He jogged over to a small console on the center of the hill. He peeled off his gloves, letting the panel scan his handprint. He punched in a few more codes, as a staircase emerged from the sinking ground. Just before he began to descend them, Jackie exclaimed.

"Pete Tyler! You come back and take a picture with your daughter and the Doctor!" she shouted to him, pulling her camera out from her coat pocket.

"No, Jacks. Just get the two of them. It's windy, though, so don't you try and wait around for the perfect snapshot." Pete conceded, crossing his arms.

Jackie rolled her eyes, bringing the camera up to her face. "Get closer than that!" she exclaimed. The Doctor laughed, kissing Rose on the forehead and laughing as Jackie snapped the picture a second too late. Rose clasped his hand, laughing as her hair was tossed in the wind. Jackie quickly took another, before Pete ushered them down the stairs.

"That's quite enough. Jackie... you can take more later." Pete said, as she swatted his hand away, viewing the pictures. "You two are mighty lucky neither of you blinked!" she said handing the camera to Rose.

Rose looked at the screen. She saw the genuine smiles on their faces, the way her hair was swept behind her, which in this frame appeared graceful. Their hands were blue from the cold, but the happiness in their eyes was what she loved most.

"You should frame this one, mum." She said, handing her mother the camera with a wink. The Doctor bounced down the steps ahead of her, tripping up a bit on his scarf, flashing a debonair smile at Rose before she chastised him.

Rose shook her head at him, a small smile on her lips. She couldn't help it; she was in love with him.

**Okay, so this jumps around a bit, but it goes chronologically back and forth between Torchwood Tower and Cardiff. I always imagined Rose wouldn't immediately melt into the new Doctor's arms, but rather would take time to accept the situation, and he's let her take her time. I'm not extremely happy with the ending… but meh, I introduced Carla and got the story rolling so that's what is most important. Also, I'm terrible at writing intimate kissing scenes, as I'm sure you noticed. **

**Bear in mind, I've never watched Torchwood, and this is all my own personal interpretation, so if you do keep up with Torchwood, none of this canonical, and I apologize. **

**But anyway...Hope you enjoyed it! More to come later!**


	2. How to Be a Man

**Thanks for sticking around for the next chapter! And for those that reviewed! Nice to hear feed-back **

**This chapter is definitely longer than the last, but it is chronological and doesn't jump back and forth like the last one did… Some new characters added, and more of Torchwood is explored. Hope you like it!**

The Doctor smirked at the man before him, raising an eyebrow mockingly. He was fat-cheeked, with sagging jowls and blood-shot eyes. His uniform was straining to contain him, and his imposing height did nothing to redeem his staggering weight. He could resemble Winston Churchill if he had an inch of dignity about him, and his cropped hairstyle and egotistical posture, with his pudgy hand perched on his gun holster, ruined any chance of becoming dignified as far the Doctor was concerned.

He whispered into Rose's ear, cupping his hand over his mouth, but doing a terrible job of concealing his words. "You positive he isn't Slitheen?"

She batted his hand away, frowning to keep from giggling. "That's not very nice, Doctor. You're the last one on the list of people who are allowed to be judgmental." She quipped.

"How so? I'm flawlessly inclined…" he said crossing his arms and sniffling.

Rose rolled her eyes. "There's your problem."

The man cleared his throat. "I don't tend to take insults in stride, but seeing as how first impressions are usually deceiving, I'll let it slide. State your name, 'Doctor'." He said, shifting his weight and tugging at his belt.

"Well, John Smith, sir." The Doctor said, extending an arm from his defensive posture.

"Smith, good name." The man said, taking his hand and shaking it firmly.

"The name's Thaxton; Head of Military Defense, extraterrestrial division, naturally. Recommended for my work with the Cybers? You station; recommendations?" he added.

The Doctor nodded his head, feigning interest. "Head of Time- and Inter-Dimensional Travel; although I have a feeling my title will be shortening very soon. I suppose I recommend myself, for work with the Cybers as well."

Thaxton gave him a reproachful look. "I've never heard of you… which wave?"

The Doctor laughed. "The very first! Probably not even formally mentioned, but I was quite important I assure you."

Rose cleared her throat. "You're doing it again… that thing where you think you're quite brilliant."

The Doctor wrapped his arm around her waist, glancing down at her. "You're doing it, too. You may even be guiltier of it than me."

Rose scoffed, but made no attempt to move away from him.

Thaxton looked rather glum, his chin sinking into a second one. "Well, pleasure to meet someone so 'important'. First wave… you're that maniac everyone was raving about, that waiter who figured out how to break into the factory. You didn't sabotage the codes though… that was my mate Mickey!"

"You and Mickey were mates? Funny thought…" The Doctor said.

"Best bloke I ever met with a computer, and not so bad of a shot if I do say so myself. Speaking of which, you're due for the shooting range. Government clearance got you out of field work, but no one works at Torchwood that isn't something of a decent shot." Thaxton informed him.

The Doctor frowned. "I- um, don't agree with firearms. Especially if I'm being made to use one." He retorted.

"Nonsense! You can blab about 'Vitex' all you want, but this is still a disciplined, military-observed facility, and it's my job to insure everyone here is in shape to defend themselves and this institution from God knows what kind of threats. This means, Agent Smith, that you are due at the shooting range." Thaxton said, his face growing a tad bit red from exertion.

The Doctor sighed staring down at Rose. Rose frowned back, but patted his chest. "Those were the conditions. You didn't have to spend four years shooting at things so long as you could prove you could shoot."

"Those huge, unwieldy things? There has to be something more dignified than that…" The Doctor complained.

"Well, those were put together in order to be able to stand against the Daleks… for training purposes, a hand pistol?" she offered, shrugging.

"That's a bit better… easier to conceal, easily broken, less fatal…" The Doctor rambled, following Thaxton as they proceeded down the hallway to the indoor shooting range.

Once they arrived, the Doctor was asked to slip out of his suit jacket, done a pair of ear-protectors and goggles, and was interrogated on gun safety.

The Doctor laughed bitterly. "Gun safety… what is ever 'safe' about a gun?" he murmured, obviously miserable.

Rose watched from behind the bullet proof glass as he loaded the bullets into the sleek, black hand gun, and assumed the stance needed to aim.

His shoulders slumped, and he threw his head back, holding the gun away from him like it was a diseased object. "Do I really have to go through with this?" he moaned at Thaxton who stood with his arms crossed alongside him.

"If you wish to keep your job, I suggest you be a man and shoot the damn thing!" the general growled, beyond impatient.

The Doctor laughed at his irony, and swiveled to face Rose behind the glass. "Did you hear that Rose? To be a man, I have to shoot this gun? Isn't that ironic? I get to _be a man_ and shoot the _damned thing_!" he said, distressed.

Rose frowned, her fingers brushing the glass. She shook her head at him, pleading.

The Doctor shared a long penetrating gaze with Rose, while Thaxton tapped his foot impatiently.

"Shoot man! It's not like you're hurting anything!" Thaxton blustered.

The Doctor turned to him, his brows furrowed. "You're right… and I _never would_." He spat through his teeth.

With that he turned to the target, staring down the barrel of the gun and firing three shots straight into the center. He seethed at the bullet holes begrudgingly, tossing the gun to the floor.

"I believe I'm more than qualified now to continue my work." He said, striding from the room, removing his gear as he went.

Thaxton stared at him, red in the face; but otherwise speechless. He glanced over at the bullet holes, perfectly centered… And concluded that beyond a doubt this man was a soldier all right, even if he'd never heard of him.

* * *

Jackie kicked a red shirt tie and its matching navy jacket with her foot and into a corner.

"What's the meaning of this mess?" she asked, hands on her hips, as Rose sipped a cup of tea in front of her.

Rose gazed around the loft; one bed, littered with clothes and the top of her dresser piled with all sorts of vitamins and razors and her desk, not visible due to accumulation of disassembled gadgets, any other available space used to stack book upon book upon book.

"It's entirely the Doctor's stuff, not mine. Take it up with him." Rose said, turning away from her gaze.

"Yes, I know… but I thought I taught you both to keep house better than this! This isn't a mess, its pure bloody mayhem!" Jackie remarked, gesticulating.

Rose sighed. Trying to clean up after the Doctor was pretty futile; especially since his organization skills weren't technically the problem. There simply wasn't any room for all of their stuff together in this little space.

After they'd consistently shared a room together, the Doctor began transferring his belongings to Rose's personal little loft. It wasn't much room to begin with; nothing more than a bed, a desk pushed up against the window, a tiny kitchenette, and a loo off to the side. It was hardly enough space for one person, but definitely not for someone so prone to clutter as the Doctor. She recalled his previous incarnation being much neater, and a lot more practical, but then again, it was a lot simpler to entertain her first Doctor. This Doctor was enthusiastic about the tiniest details and his thoughts were hardly ever completed; leaving a lot of items in his wake, especially concerning his personal projects.

As for his clothes, he was normally better about it, but there wasn't an extra dresser or a closet in the loft, nor was their room to add either. The simple fact was, as it occurred to Rose, and she was sure to her mother as well, they needed a bigger space.

"Have you considered… well, I dunno, a flat in the city?" Jackie offered.

"Considered? Maybe… never thought I'd actually do it though." Rose replied.

"Do what? Move out? You had no problem running off with an alien you'd only just met, how is this more to deal with than that?!" Jackie said, crossing her arms.

Rose sunk down onto the bed, shoving laundry out of the way as she did.

"But it's different than just going somewhere else… if the Doctor and I moved into a flat in the city; it would be like, well, like we were really out on our own. I just don't know if he's ready for that, or me." She admitted.

Jackie pursed her lips in thought of how to respond. How was her daughter so oblivious… she was sometimes almost ashamed at how _thick_ she could be! The only one who doubted that she and the Doctor were in a relationship, in practically every sense of the word, was Rose. She figured it had something to do with that fact that she's convinced herself for so long that they could never be; and now here he was, sleeping in her bed… and cluttering up her room.

"Why don't you ask him, then? I mean, I don't see what's so different about sharing a flat with someone when you shared a time-machine space ship box… the TARDIS, whatever." Jackie said.

Rose snorted at her mother's definition of the TARDIS, but looked up at her. "But what if there is a difference? And what if I'm not ready for it? I mean, I feel like if he and I move in to our own space it would be like-"she paused, bringing her knees to her chest.

"Like… like I had given up on the other Doctor. I feel like it's unfair to him if I start a life with my Doctor like I should, and that's it's unfair to 'John' if I don't. It would be officially giving into the slow path… neither of us could pretend like we were waiting for him anymore." Rose muttered, looking away from Jackie and out the window.

Jackie frowned, sitting on the mattress alongside her daughter. She looked so conflicted, so vulnerable.

"You… have to let him go. You both got what you wanted; he wanted you to be happy, and to see you one last time. And you, you wanted a life with him. Neither of you thought you'd ever get what you wanted. But you're right. John deserves your full attention now. He stayed, Rose. I know you don't like being reminded, but the one you keep waiting for… he left you, twice. And he wouldn't want you to stop what's coming for you and the life you wanna live just because you feel like he's lonely wherever he is. Besides, while you've been waiting on this other Doctor, this one has been waiting on you. You've all got to stop your waiting and move one with it!" Jackie said, taking her daughter's hand.

"But specifically, move out of this loft and into a proper place, with rooms and a full kitchen." She added, and patted her hand with finality.

Rose laughed. She'd never expected her mother to understand… but for once, she'd surprised her.

In truth, her mother made a lot of sense. She let out a long sigh, and smiled at Jackie.

"Thanks, Mum."

* * *

Carla blew air upward out of her mouth, tousling her dark bangs as she did.

John, whom most called the Doctor, ranted on about something trivial to her; about how he'd never been a flat-mate before, but all it sounded like to her was an excuse for him to talk about Rose without actually talking about Rose. It was becoming a recurrent habit of his.

Without much to do, he tended to check up on her more often whenever Rose was busy; helping her with whatever she assigned him to. He really did offer quite a hand, sometimes taking over the project itself, for which she occasionally resented him. But all in all, she could say he was quickly becoming more than an acquaintance. He obviously was romantically occupied, so at first she couldn't imagine why he'd hang around so much.

Sometimes he got this look in his eye, like a little lost puppy, and he'd be charming and witty like it was his way of asking for a belly-rub. And other times, he was very business-like and demanding. She'd heard him chat away about ethics and firearms and the qualities that remained to hold humanity back as a species, whatever the hell that meant. And right now he was rambling about shared mortgages.

And while his incessant talking was endearing at times, she simply had to change the subject.

"Why are you in here so often, shouldn't you be doing something else?" she cut him off mid-sentence, her tone rather biting.

He wasn't fazed, knocking his knuckles together. "Yes… paperwork."

Carla smirked, raising her brow at him. "Ahh… feel free to stay here then, as long as you don't undermine my authority."

The Doctor scoffed. "Don't imagine how anyone could do that…"

Carla handed him a list of codes. "Copy those into the database for me. And _don't_ change anything. You're not the only one who knows how that extrapolator works, even though you ordain to be the smartest thing in the room." She said, shooing him away from her working space.

He trotted over to the Torchwood database, entering the codes with an uncharacteristic silence. They continued like that, with only the clanking of her tools and him clicking away to distinguish the silence.

Carla groaned under her breath, looking over at him and how focused he appeared. God forbid she'd offended him or something…

"Why so quiet all of a sudden? What happened to gabbing until my ears were numb, huh?" she called over to him, trying her best to sound light-hearted. She was pushy, sure, but not enough to silence a man like him. That's why she liked him she supposed. They put up with each other.

He looked over at her, eyebrows raised like he was sharing a joke with himself.

"I'm just trying to figure something out." He called back, finalizing the codes as he said so.

He ambled back over to Carla's work desk, hovering next to her.

She sighed at herself. "Well, don't keep it to yourself… out with it." She said.

John chuckled. "Well, where on Earth did you come from for one thing? I mean, no human being should have your advanced knowledge, your capacity for mathematics… who were you before Torchwood?" he blurted.

Carla winced at the way he said 'human being', like she did every time he said it. She made a face, processing his words. "Less lonely." She muttered out of the corner of her mouth, aggressively yanking a microchip from a disassembled piloting mechanism.

"Pardon?" he remarked quizzically, having only barely heard her.

"Nosy!" she exclaimed, elbowing him. "If you must know, I was an engineering student, scholar if you will, at Cambridge. My brother and I… were interns at Cybus Industries. When that went south, well, I came to work with Pete and Torchwood… made that dimension cannon. And here you are. So that brings us up to the present, I suppose." She explained hurriedly.

John leaned against the table, taking a screwdriver Carla thrust at him. "And your brother?" he asked, studying her face.

Carla grit her teeth and set her jaw, wrenching more circuitry from the device in her hands.

"First on a long list of casualties… got 'upgraded'. He's probably dead or lost in the Void now… what the 'ell am I saying? He was dead the moment we walked into Cybus HQ. I'm the one and only infamous Mitsy now." She said, looking up and out into nothing, trying to visualize her twin's face, since it wasn't so different from her own.

The Doctor swallowed, not expecting that sort of reply. "Carla… I'm so sorry." He said.

Carla turned back to face him, shoving away the nostalgia that had begun to overtake her.

"Sorry is for those who are helpless. But I'm not sorry. I survived. I'll always remember him… we were two peas from the same pod, we were; could barely tell us apart. He didn't have to die, but he did. Just like you and your Rose didn't have to get separated but you did… except the difference is- you came back." She replied, her expression passing through bouts of depression and mourning and flashes of reviling the effrontery of her brother's end.

John looked down at her, reading her face and seeing her for the first time. He sighed. "I would say how unfair it all is, but I suppose we both know."

Carla nodded, her eyes taking him in and construing the earnest in his tone, taking in a quick breath. "Yes, indeed we do." She straightened her lab coat, done with the matter.

"Now, stop leaning on that, you'll lose a hand!" she instructed, swatting him away from her drill.

John scoffed. "Wouldn't be the first time…" he murmured.

Carla pinched her face, feeling she hadn't heard him right. "What?!" she exclaimed.

"Nothing!" he said with a laugh.

**So, now we know where Carla is coming from! As for the first part, I think even though this Doctor is a bit more violent than Ten himself, and is supposed to resemble a battle-scarred Nine, I still can't imagine Nine morally accepting a gun. Sure, he might blow up a Dalek without a second thought, but would he shoot someone? No, the Doctor in general wouldn't do that. So, I thought I'd explore that and introduce General Thaxton as well **

**Hope you enjoyed it and sorry for the wait! More is coming soon, I just wrote it out of order, and have to reorganize it :/**


	3. The Underling

**Welp! Wanna thank everyone who has reviewed so far! Your feedback is immensely appreciated and I'm quite flattered! **

**More Torchwood drama ahead!**

"Agent Smith, I'd like you to meet Warren; your new underling." Jake said, smacking the young man on the shoulder.

The Doctor looked up at the men before him. One had been a good friend of his since he had first arrived here, the other, well, he looked brooding and rather cheeky.

"My what?" he responded, taking off his specs with flash of his wrist.

Jake cleared his throat. "Underling, associate, subordinate agent." He repeated himself, 'Warren' seeming to wince at his every word.

"Nope. No, he's not because I don't want one. Return to sender." The Doctor said, focusing his attention back to his computer console.

"He's yours to command. He works underneath you… until further promotion." Jake persisted.

The Doctor groaned, leaning back in his chair. "Jake, I'm not being paid to babysit."

"Neither am I…" muttered the sullen agent, crossing his arms.

Jake gave him a look, but continued with his persuasion. "Pete assigned him to you… Carla wouldn't take him. Said she worked alone. So, I took him to you. You're an easy man to work with, right?"

"I'm a horrible man to work with according to Thaxton… probably to Rose too if it weren't for my good looks." He quipped, drumming his fingers on the armrests of his chair.

Jake rolled his eyes. "He's a great guy, really… just isn't too comfortable being chained to a desk. He served four years in the field, came highly recommended-"

"For what? Came highly recommended for what? Time-travel? I promise you I'm the only one on this base who came recommended for that! This kid? Probably a gun-slinger who doesn't know how to settle down and crunch numbers." The Doctor interjected.

Jake sighed. "Listen… it's in your contract and part of your conditions… he's here to do whatever you ask him to do."

"I resent my contract. I've already had to do plenty of things I don't agree with. And I don't agree with this either." The Doctor pressed.

Jake threw his hands up. Warren stepped forward. "I don't agree with being treated like an amateur. I was waiting on this spot. Had three months left of my field work; and then you waltz in. Didn't have to train, didn't have to do your time like the rest of us. I don't want this job either; in fact, I'd rather have yours. But we'll see how that plays out for me." He explained.

The Doctor looked rather smug. "You'd put someone as brash as him in charge of Time? See this is what I don't get about the human-"

Jake cleared his throat loudly. He wasn't about to let the Doctor get away from himself and allude to the Time Lords. That was classified information, and he was in charge of defending it. Not to mention, God knows how Warren would react if he found out he'd lost his job to an alien from a parallel universe.

"John. I'd rather not have a word with you… just put him to work. I _don't _want to see a complaint on anybody's desk from _either_ of you tomorrow, you got it?" Jake finished, pointing between the two of them and then hurriedly leaving the room with a sigh.

The Doctor reclined back in his chair, raising a brow at Warren who looked the direct opposite of pleased.

"So, you're my assistant now? We agree on that?" The Doctor asked, putting his hands behind his head.

Warren closed his eyes, regaining his composure. "Yes, sir."

The Doctor concealed a grin, spinning from his chair.

He grabbed his overcoat, and stuffed his wallet into the pockets. "You see that big pile of papers and folders and what-not?" he asked, nodding to his desk.

Warren looked glum. "Yes…"

The Doctor skipped to the door. "Yeah… do something about that." He said, ducking out the door.

Warren clinched his fists. "Where are you going?" he called to him.

"Lunch!" The Doctor said, waving his car keys. "Perks of being 'chained to a desk'!"

* * *

"An assistant?" Rose said, her eyes laughing.

"Yup" he said, popping the 'p'. "Never had one of those before… companions sure. But I never looked at that way."

"Which one is he?" Rose asked, tugging on his arm as they strolled.

"Some bloke named Warren… cheeky fellow, that one!" he answered.

Rose gasped. "They gave you Warren! That's… well that's awkward."

The Doctor raised a brow. "Wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that I stole his promotion?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "It has everything to do with that. I would've taken him on… but he's an ex-engineer, and I'm in the ethics department."

"They can't just keep inventing new irrelevant departments until everyone is the Head of something?"

"So that's your solution then? How would we ever get anything done?" Rose asked incredulous.

"I don't even see the need for 'departments'. You can't specialize in knowing how to deal with extraordinary events. Unless you're me." He remarked.

Rose sighed. "Can we not talk about Torchwood? We have an hour for lunch and then we'll be up to our eyes in it all again." She said, entwining her fingers with his.

"An hour… used to be we could do so much in an hour… go anywhere, and be back within the second. Living in a straight line takes an awful lot of, well, time." The Doctor mused.

"That's why they call in the 'slow path', you oaf." Rose teased. She frowned a little. "But let's not talk about that either…"

* * *

_Thunk!_ The dart hits the dart board, barely missing the one next to it.

"Another bulls-eye, sir." Warren calls lazily from his adjoining office.

"Splendid. Keep up the good work." The Doctor drawls, a newspaper draped over his face like a mask. He'd gotten to the society section and given up.

Another late night shift at Torchwood Tower; his office a yellow illuminated dot against the London skyline.

Warren rolls his chair over to the dart board, retrieving his last five darts with a whistle. He'd been less than pleased with his 'promotion' as of two weeks ago, but soon after John had stopped exploiting him to complete overdue paperwork, he'd had few problems with his 'boss'. He appeared to be a very light-hearted guy; dating Rose Tyler, pretty tech-savvy, a tad bit unorganized, and wouldn't shut up if you got him rolling. But for someone he knew virtually nothing about, he wasn't so bad a person.

Warren had yet to see what he was like in action though, and was anxious for the moment. He'd heard rumors he was a flawless shot, and had bought the dart board in some attempt to coax him into showcasing it. But so far, John hadn't been tempted.

Sighing, he reclined in his chair, facing the open doorway between their two offices. John had a newspaper over his face… weird bloke.

"Read anything interesting?" he inquired, juggling the darts in his hands.

"Someone named Kardashian is suing an advertising company… oh, and 'Young Vitex heiress takes relationship to next level.' They misspelled my name! How is it even possible to do that?" he answered, his reply muffled.

"Shame…" Warren said, laughing.

John sat up, shoving the newspaper away. "Credit goes to 'M. Jones' for picture and caption… funny world."

Warren sighed, finding himself in yet another situation where he had no idea what the man was referencing. He said the damnedest things…

The Doctor was just about to offer to try out those darts; he was that bored, but a beeping noise somewhere within his pocket distracted him.

He pulled out his earpiece. "What does it mean when it flashes green?" he said, prepared to pull out his sonic screwdriver.

Warren groaned. "Give me that." He said swiping it off the desk. "It's a message from HQ. Plug it into the conference screen, and be quick about it." He said, tossing it back to his boss.

The Doctor caught it, standing up groggily. "Yes, sir…" he grumbled, fiddling with the transmission.

The screen lit up, and Pete Tyler accompanied by General Thaxton greeted them. "Doctor!" Pete said, once the image materialized.

"Sorry, I don't do house calls." He said, which was met with a frown from Pete.

"Not now, this is important. I have a transport for the two of you outside. Just go up to the roof. There's a situation in St. Petersburg, Russia. You'll be debriefed in the Zeppelin." He spoke.

The Doctor threw on his over coat draped over his chair. "Where's Rose?" He asked, brows furrowing.

"On the roof! Just get up there as quick as you must; we might be dealing with an invasion." Pete answered hurriedly.

The Doctor nodded, turning off the screen with his screwdriver.

"How come I'm not allowed to have one of those?" Warren asked, tossing all five darts at the board, and sprinting out the door.

"I'm not even technically allowed to have one… but I'll see them try to take it from me!" The Doctor answered, following him in stride.

"Russia… had some times there myself." Warren remarked.

"Good or bad?" The Doctor inquired, a hint of teasing in his voice.

"In the life we lead, Smith, what's the difference?"

**Warren ladies and gents! What did ya think? I'd love to know! **

**Hoped this was somewhat of a cliffhanger! Next chapter will take place in St. Petersburg, so hold your breath! Hope you're still enjoying it!**


	4. Novices in St Petersburg

**So! Chapter Four! It's a little late... well, more than a little... but here you go, anyway! I'm not completely happy with it, but you deserve something! Thank you to everyone who has been keeping up with this, and I hope you enjoy it! It ties right back in with the last chapter, and includes all the characters leading up to it. **

Rose stood with her back to the wind, pulling her blue leather jacket tightly around her. Carla sat bobbing her head along to music from her de-bugged Cybus ear piece, in a black trench coat, of which the pockets were undoubtedly filled with various alien gadgets and tools.

Rose heard the Doctor's footsteps as he and Warren thundered up the stair case. She was surprised he was still in such impeccable shape after losing a heart in the meta-crisis; although he complained about it constantly, she hadn't noticed any change in his ability to dart from place to place without breaking a sweat.

The door flung open with a defiant creak, and the Doctor bounced up onto the roof, screwdriver in hand and a mischievous smile on his face. Warren shuffled up behind him, slightly out of breath, but still impressively unfazed by the climb.

Rose gave him a grin. He sidled next to her, holding out his hand, which she took, swinging it to and fro.

"Our first mission." She commented, looking up at the Zeppelin which was steadily floating towards them.

"Quite right! In St. Petersburg! Is it any different in this universe?" he asked.

Rose shrugged. "Never been there… well, never been to this one." The Doctor smiled.

Warren raised his eyebrows at them; it was another one of those moments where he had to remind himself that Rose and John were inter-dimension travellers. Their conversations made little sense even when they didn't refer to the other universe, so he wondered to himself why he bothered.

He would've remarked about it to Carla, but she hadn't taken her ear buds out, and the guitar solo pounding from them was enough to make him keep his distance. Her lips parted, like she was singing the sounds the instruments made, and he giggled a little to himself. She was every bit as intriguing to him as the day he'd met her. And he felt a touch of rejection at her so vehemently denying his apprenticeship. He was a novice engineer, after all, and had to be of some assistance to her. He certainly knew more about circuitry and wiring and infrastructure than paradoxes and cosmic continuums. Not that John would allow him to get a word in edgewise even if he did.

She was pretty, he decided. She didn't wear much make up, and he felt that she didn't really need to. She had very nice eyes, and a creamy complexion that made them seem even brighter. Her dark hair appeared soft to the touch and she looked as though she had a very shapely figure, if she didn't shroud herself in so many dark colors and coats. The only skin he ever saw was her face. Yet he couldn't imagine her without her black dresses and tights and trench coats.

The Zeppelin whirred and cast an imperious shadow over the roof as it descended, lowering a ladder for them to climb.

Carla moaned, snatching out her earpiece. "Of all the advanced technology and gadgetry and what not, you'd _think_ we'd have come up with a more civilized way to board a Zeppelin."

Warren snickered. "You'd _think_ that we'd have come up with a better alternative to hot air balloons." He remarked.

"Indeed!" Carla retorted, hiking up her skirt. "You'd better not be getting a peek, or I'll kick your teeth out, soldier." She warned Warren as she gripped the rungs.

The Doctor shook his head, crossing his arms. "Be nice to the gentleman, Carla. And you, Warren, I'd heed her warning if I were you."

Carla cleared her throat and started climbing.

Rose and the Doctor hung back, watching them take to the ladder. He gave her a thoughtful glance.

"Why _haven't_ they refined air travel here? With all the other transportation they've updated, Zeppelins should've been antiquated years ago." He asked Rose.

Rose laughed. "The Wright Brothers didn't exist in this universe. Mum considered offering up the idea, thought it'd be mighty lucrative, but everyone seems pretty happy with the Zeppelins. I can't imagine why. But then again, these days even a Maserati seems like a bicycle compared to the TARDIS." She answered him.

They proceeded up the rope ladder, and once they'd made their way to the conference room on the third level, they could be debriefed.

Pete sat at the end of the table, smugly sipping his coffee, as Jake explained the situation in his usual professional manner; curt and to the point, and never pausing too long for questions, to Carla's chagrin.

"There's been a confirmed alien sighting in St. Petersburg. We're not certain of rank or intent, but by the looks of how they've been raiding museums and secret storehouses for hours with some pretty dangerous looking weapons, it's safe to say this needs to be handled as covertly as possible. They're current location resides in the State Hermitage Museum, which, conveniently enough… is in the heart of the city and possesses countless priceless items. _Why _these aliens are art-haters is not yet known… and the curator asks that if at all possible we should try and save the relics.

"Specifically, the Romanov treasures-"

"Ah, the Romanovs… brilliant!" The Doctor interjected, rubbing his palms together in anticipation. He was bristling with excitement already, from what Rose could tell. She smirked and nodded for Jake to continue.

"Yes, the Romanov treasures. We're sure it's no coincidence that they're looting those in particular. Quite a lot of mystery surrounding the royal family, wouldn't be a surprise if it all turned out to be aliens." He said.

Carla scoffed. "Surely you don't mean to tell me they were aliens… what about Anastasia and all that?"

Jake shrugged. "We can hardly know. Certainly couldn't ask the Romanovs about it."

The Doctor laughed. "True, but wouldn't it be a wonder if we could give them a visit and find out?"

Rose shoved him with her elbow, giving him a stern look, but it was all in an effort to hide a smile.

Jake rolled his eyes and pressed on, describing the mission at hand. "We'll deploy to just outside the city. We've got operatives already at the perimeter. By the time you all arrive, we'll have organized the most logical point of entry depending on our alien targets. Rose, you and the Doctor scout ahead with Carla and Warren. Rose and the Doctor will be in charge of the first-contact. Carla, you are in charge of weapons assessment, and Warren, well, you'll be the man in charge of the aggressive negotiations if the need be. Thaxton will deploy with you to report to the operatives. We have a second vessel waiting for detainment and the trip back." He finished.

The Doctor strolled from the room with Rose at his side, whistling.

"So, what say you about all this?" Rose asked, hanging on his arm.

The Doctor grinned over at her. "We might make some new friends today, Rose, and frankly, I'm very excited. Exuberant, actually. Nothing like travelling, but not so bad."

"And what if they're hostile?" Rose offered.

The Doctor shrugged. "So what if they are? Danger likes to follow us around doesn't it? But we'll outrun it like we usually do."

Rose laughed. "I missed this. I missed _you_." She said, looking up at him.

"I have missed it… but I'd like to think, to _hope_, that today won't remind you too much of how we used to be. Because that's how we _used to_ be. I want to chase the stars with you knowing I'll never have to let you go. It's time we made some new memories… starting now." He said, eyes shining, as he swiftly kissed her forehead and dragged her down the narrow corridor behind him.

* * *

The Doctor gazed down at the Polish Highlands as they sailed over it, riding on a gust of wind and tired propellers. He felt Rose come up behind him, and heard her slurping her tea noisily to get his attention.

He grinned. "What's that then? Afternoon tea? That's mighty typical of you, Rose."

She nudged her hip against him, taking another sip. "Just because we're not over London anymore doesn't mean tea time's changed." She remarked, smiling in her trademark way.

The Doctor's eyes flicked back down to the landscape. "I'm not entirely sure what we are over, to be honest. Earth is nothing like I remember it."

Rose nodded in agreement. Their thoughts wandered a moment before she asked, "Can you still feel it?"

He looked over to her, confused. "What?"

"Feel it, you know, 'Earth turnin'." She clarified, her voice lilting wistfully. She looked up at her Doctor, but she was vividly imagining another.

The Doctor frowned. "I don't know."

Rose raised her brows, waiting for him to go on.

"I mean… I know what it's supposed to feel like. I feel it because I remember how to recognize the sensation. Like a detail in a film you never noticed before, but every time you see it again it sticks out like a sore thumb. But, can I physically relate to gravity, and time and space and the universe around us… no, regrettably. Not anymore." He said, with a sniff.

Rose nodded solemnly. "Do you miss it?" she added, taking his hand.

He squeezed it in return, whispering, "I missed you more."

She leaned into him, closing her eyes. She couldn't recall all the numerous times she'd yearned to hear the Doctor say the things "John" said to her everyday… she didn't really know who to thank for her happiness except the Doctor himself, and partly Donna. And perhaps it was just the human sentiment in him talking, but she wanted to believe that her Doctor really loved her enough to give up what he had given up; who he was, by his own definition.

"John! C'mere, I've something funny to show you!" Carla called from across the room.

The Doctor whipped his head over to her. "Mitsy, I'm a little busy!" He shouted back, making Rose giggle.

"You can make googly eyes and say romantically-mysterious things to Ms. Tyler on your own time, sir! I need someone to make fun of Thaxton with!" She retorted, stamping her purple Converse trainers on the floor.

The Doctor rolled his eyes, giving Rose a chaste kiss on the temple as his fingertips reluctantly parted from hers.

"This had better be the funniest thing I've _ever_ seen, Carla…" He murmured, as Rose shook head her comically, looking down at the rolling hills beneath them.

* * *

Warren coughed into his elbow loudly. Carla raised a brow at him, issuing him his weapon. "Try to keep that to a minimum, soldier." She remarked, as he nodded apologetically.

Once he'd cleared his throat, he asked, "Why do you keep calling me soldier?"

Carla shrugged. "It felt like the right thing to call you; all hunky and serious-looking. But don't go thinking it's some sort of pet name."

Warren nodded again, always suppressing his urge to laugh at the things she said. They were supposed to act professional in the field, and he valued that bit of protocol, but it seemed Ms. Mitsy did whatever she damn well pleased anyway, so he wondered why he didn't indulge himself more often. She was clever after all and she needed someone besides John to tell her so.

"Hunky?" He finally questioned.

He saw a trace of a blush on her features, but it was quickly extinguished with a cold riposte. "Well, that was me simply being kind, add a capital 'C' to the beginning of that word, and you've got a more accurate description."

"I don't believe you." He said with a hint of laughter.

She seemed taken aback that he would reply. He continued.

He jerked his head in the direction of the General. "I might believe it if it were directed at him."

She smiled mischievously. "But as for me, I'm the picture of fitness." He added with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes. "It appears I've misjudged you, soldier. I'll rightly replace 'hunky' with 'haughty'. That's much more accurate isn't it?"

"I'd have trouble arguing with a genius. Although that's probably why my internal monologues never seem to work out." He reflexed.

Carla pinched her mouth into a pursed expression, surveying him carefully and with a bemused glare.

"Yes, it appears I was accurate after all. Haughty, and takes himself much too seriously."

"And look who's talking, Agent Mitsy?" he asked with a smug look.

She felt her cheeks grow red. "I haven't got time for this." She strode off, looking for the next agent to distribute weapons to.

* * *

The troupe of four bustled through the city, having been "deployed" from the zeppelin through the use of parachutes, which proved an entertaining experience for everyone but Warren, who was perplexed once again at the novice behavior of some of the agents whose authority he'd been thrust underneath. Of course, he'd yet to see any of them but Rose in action, and knew little of how John would be handling the situation, since he'd been appointed the leader of the little group.

The Doctor was up ahead, conversing with Rose about something called a "language matrix" and its "residual effects", which was as usual completely lost on Warren, but seemed to delight Rose. _Perhaps that's why they seem to belong together… she can actually make sense of him_, Warren thought as he shook his shoulders against the cold. The leaves were only just starting to turn back home, but here it was already near freezing. He laughed as something occurred to him.

"Funny how it seems these aliens are the only things who've ever been able to invade Russia, eh John?" He said, as his colleague turned to laugh.

"That's true!" He said, with another chuckle.

"Although, as far as internal affairs go, Russia been torn from stem to stern. Civil war, in my opinion is far worse than foreign invasion; because when a people are in danger they rise together. It's when a civilization dissolves on itself when war becomes truly toxic." He mused, upon which Rose grabbed his hand.

They continued their promenade until they were a block down from the museum.

"I know we were told to wait for the operatives, but… I think I can get us in without any trouble." The Doctor said, pulling his sonic screwdriver from his coat pocket. Rose grinned as he flipped it in his hand, and Carla scoffed.

"I hate the noise that bloody thing makes." She said, shrugging her backpack off to retrieve the rudimentary version of the screwdriver she carried with her.

The Doctor looked offended. "I _love_ that noise." He replied defensively, tossing it up again.

They proceeded up a flight of marble carved stairs to a courtyard that was empty except for some abandoned items. The Doctor raised his sonic screwdriver, setting it to recognize any alien life forms nearby. After they'd been located (on the third floor of the east wing of the museum), it was only a matter of unlocking the doors ahead of them.

The agents dashed through the museum as the Doctor pointed out famous works of art and commented on the history of the building. Finally they reached the store room where the aliens were looting. With a finger to his lips, and Warren close at his heels, the Doctor unlocked the door, as Carla winced at the noise.

The creatures beyond the door were unaware of their intrusion, and carried on a heated conversation that was lost on everyone but Rose and the Doctor.

"_None of these will do, Xiandi, the genetic signature is still not present! Keep searching. We don't have much time!" _The taller one ordered huskily. His companion tossed the relic as the investigating party flinched, the priceless artifact crashing to the marble floor. But the Doctor couldn't help but wonder what had made it inadequate.

He took notice of the alien's flexible armor, and their rigid postures; soldiers for certain, not thieves like he'd thought formerly. This was a mission just as much as theirs, he concluded. _You couldn't possibly make a weapon from a decorative egg, could you?_ He wondered with a quizzical expression.

"_The module malfunctioning is more than just a setback; we've got a matter of minutes before the invasion." _The shorter one surmised.

The Doctor shook his head. "Oh, no you don't, no invasions…" he murmured and promptly strode into the room, revealing their hiding spot.

"_Well, then gentleman! Art-lovers from another galaxy, or something perhaps more sinister?" _He inquired in their language, rocking on his heels with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

Warren stood up quickly, his jaw dropping. "John, what the hell?! How can you-"

Rose snatched back down into a crouch. "That's top secret, soldier." She said as she winked and leaped over the chair they'd been crouched behind, standing next to the Doctor.

"_Who wants to know?" _The tallest alien asked menacingly, revealing a weapon concealed in his armor.

"_Who? Well, I'll let you off, I suppose no one _here_ would know anyhow… I'm the Doctor! And you've landed on a planet I intend on protecting, so! As you can imagine, all this talk about invasions, _well…_ you can see why I had to interrupt." _He answered, circling them as Rose smiled a reminiscent smile.

Warren and Carla stood, mouths agape, watching them and glancing at each other.

"_So! The logical question that follows would be, who are _you_?" _The Doctor continued.

The aliens shifted a bit, and looked to each other, seemingly trying to decide between them how to answer.

"_Are you a figure of authority?" _The smaller one inquired, as the largest one scoffed at his question.

The Doctor grinned ironically. "_Oh, the highest I should think."_

Rose raised an eyebrow at him. "_So quick to claim the stakes, aren't you? _I'm _the official negotiator, here, Mister Head of Time Travel. I daresay you're out of jurisdiction, mate." _She quipped.

"_Fine, well, then, let me direct you to the ambassador of this planet, the ever so lovely Rose Tyler."_ The Doctor conceded, glancing back at his colleagues with a wink.

"Rose can… speak blue alien thing?" Carla whispered hoarsely. The Doctor nodded enthusiastically. "She sure can…" he replied, looking to her fondly.

"_Did you say he was the 'Head of Time Travel'?" _The smaller one asked, like it had piqued his interest or given him an idea.

"'_Who wants to know?'" _Rose echoed with a smirk.

"_I am Xiandi, and this is my comrade Felspon. We are warriors of Raxelmari." _The shorter one responded, which met him with a look of indignation from Felspon.

"_Yes, well, state your purpose… and why do you need information about time travel?" _Rose commanded.

The Doctor stepped up next to her, eyeing the aliens with suspicion. "_Raxelmari you say? And you're at war, I assume?" _

"_Yes, we are on a mission that will determine the future of our planet. Our enemies have planned a massive invasion of Raxelmar, but we have organized a counter attack. You see, we are looking for Rasputin." _Xiandi explained.

"_Rasputin? I think you may be a bit lost… right country, city, even right palace, but he's long dead. Sorry." _Rose replied.

"_We don't need him alive…" _Felspon remarked with an irritated sneer.

"_What would you do with the decaying body of a dead monk? Not that you could find it… he was thrown into a river by the Bolsheviks, left to drown under the ice." _Rose said, crossing her arms.

Xiandi and Felspon shared a spluttering laugh, and Rose raised her brows at them, as they continued their knee-slapping.

"_Rasputin couldn't possibly drown! Raxelmari do _not_ drown! Oh, my lady, he drowned?!" _Felspon answered finally. He certainly appeared to be the ruder of the two.

Rose looked over to the Doctor to make sure he had caught the same thing. _"Did you hear that, Doctor, Raxelmari don't drown? What'd you think of that?" _ she said, slyly. She snapped her attention back to the soldiers in front of her.

"_Alright then, spill. What's this business with Rasputin? I don't care how the slime died, just what are you gonna do with him." _She barked.

"_Rasputin was a diplomat fallen from grace long ago, from our planet. He disguised himself, rather ridiculously, and came to Russia. It was the best place for a Raxelmari on the run. Near the water, plenty of dismal people and monarchs whose fingers he could kiss… this particular Raxelmari was a traitor, to our crown and Russia's. But he was crafty, and far more significant than we could ever realize. In cohorts with our enemy, no less! But none of that matters as far as we're concerned. We need a single trace of his DNA to reactivate our module, which has been damaged in battle." _Xiandi revealed.

"_And no other DNA will do?" _The Doctor asked.

"_Not exactly." _Felspon responded curtly.

Carla cleared her throat, getting the Doctor's attention. "Trying to interpret your dialect is fun and all, but we need an update-" She was cut off by the I.D.C.D (Inter-Dimensionary Communications Device) beeping with a vengeance. "And apparently, Thaxton needs one as well." She said, tossing the device to the Doctor.

He rolled his eyes and groaned, clicking on the receiver. "General! How are things?" He chirped.

"AGENT SMITH! Have you ever heard of PROTOCOL! Which clearly states that you stick to the directive and don't BLOODY GO OFF ON YOUR OWN and leave the ENTIRE FLEET OF OPERATIVES in the DARK!" He exploded in response.

"I take it you're not well. My sincerest apologies." He replied as Rose sighed, reaching for the I.D.C.D.

"He does apologize. Now, I'm gonna do my negotiating thing and try to get everyone to make peace with each other, yeah? As for the status, we are perfectly fine, the extraterrestrials appear to be benign and you appear to be without the need of the fleet. Sorry!" she soothed.

Thaxton sighed over the 'com. "Agent Tyler… I don't need a bloody apology, I need results. I want a confirmed surrender or otherwise within the hour, or I fire at will. You'd benefit by remembering protocol. I'm priming my weapon, you do your part and _maybe_ we can get back to London by tomorrow morning."

"Over and out, General." Rose said, clicking off the device and blowing her hair from her face.

She tossed the I.D.C.D back to Carla, who stared at in thought for a second before her face washed over in enlightenment, pulling out her brick of a computer and sitting cross-legged on the floor abruptly.

"Don't mind me; I just… wanted to do a quick software patch."

"_Now, down to business… Rose, we don't have that long, I hope you realize that." _ The Doctor chimed in.

"_I do now… Xiandi, what's the significance of this module… on a scale of one to ten?" _Rose asks, turning to the alien in question.

Xiandi tensed. "_One hundred, Miss Tyler." _

Rose let out a slow breath. "_Then, we'd best find that genetic signature. Hop to it!" _She instructed, and the Doctor whipped out his sonic screwdriver, practically diving into the pile of relics.

Rose followed suit joined by the Raxelmari and together they sifted through trunks and scanned each one carefully. After a minute or two, Warren offered his assistance in exchange for an explanation.

"Basically, we need to find something with a trace of DNA from Rasputin, or their planet will blow up." Rose answered.

"'Basically', nothing… Rose we have a matter of minutes before that trigger happy idiot blows _us_ up."

"So, you see, this is all very suspenseful." Rose said, tossing a silver spoon over her shoulder.

Warren swallowed. "No kidding."

They sifted with a frenzy, and Warren cleared his throat. "Another, possibly less pertinent question… How on God's green Earth do you speak their language?"

Rose sighed. "It's um… the Doctor and I were exposed to a, uh, language recognition machine a long while back, in the parallel universe. And the effects haven't completely worn off." She smiled softly. "And never will, according to him. Which is a relief. Never knew I had it in me!"

The Doctor glanced back at her, and was consumed with the urge to kiss her right there. _How's that for protocol, _he thought, amused. But he resisted, trying to focus on the task at hand. But for the life of him, his Rose certainly was an endearing distraction.

Not a second later, a beam shot through the ceiling, claiming the Raxelmari, and Rose screamed, as Carla gave nothing more than a yelp, and then a triumphant laugh.

The Doctor had squeezed his eyes shut, a torrent of horrible, awful words circling in his head regarding the one responsible for the beam, but as soon as he'd realized they weren't disintegrated, he opened them.

Carla continued to laugh, and the Doctor made a note that they were floating… in the beam. And most certainly not dead. And Carla, at perhaps the most inappropriate time possible, was laughing, holding her stomach and floating past him, her computer spinning just beneath her.

"A suspended motion homing beam; from the 1960's!" she said, to respond to the looks she was receiving. "A 'software patch'!"

The Doctor grinned, crossing his arms. "Mitsy, you genius!"

"I recalibrated the laser beam activator, using simple hacking skills… Thaxton will have my head, but you know what, everybody lived, so I'll go with that to defend myself." She explained.

"Yes, Thaxton will be _thrilled_." Rose remarked, and rolled her eyes lightheartedly, reaching for the Doctor's hand below her.

He grasped her fingers, pulling her down to him as they spun giggling. Warren didn't look the least bit amused.

"I'm not getting court-marshaled for this, am I?" he asked flatly.

"'Course not! Now lighten up! We're soaring over St. Petersburg. Go on, look around… and then you can thank me, in kind, for beaming you instead of blasting you." Carla said, swiping her computer from where it levitated.

He simply groaned, buckling the straps of his backpack securely and, despite himself, obliging her by taking a panoramic view of his surroundings. Below him was Palace Square, St. Petersburg, and though he'd never say it out loud, it was breathtaking.

Meanwhile, the Raxelmari were having a heated argument in their native language that the Doctor and Rose were biting their lips to keep from laughing at it.

**Another cliffhanger! (Sorry... it was growing a bit long, and rather choppy, so I thought I'd just save the rest for later. _How_ much later depends on the reviews!) So, I tried to clarify some character points, and bring about some technical aspects as well, like Carla's wardrobe and the fact that Rose and the Doctor can still understand foreign languages... but that's a plot point I'll elaborate more on later. Hopefully, the pacing wasn't too atrocious... it'll be far more improved in the next chapter!**


	5. The Resolution of the Raxelmari

**Part Two! I wanted to conclude this to tie up all the loose ends as quickly as possible... Enjoy! And PLEASE review!**

"Mitsy! That laser was primed and ready… I'd triangulated their positions, locked onto their bio-signatures… and all this other scientific mess. And you had the gall to _hack_ into the mainframe of this vessel and _completely override and disable_ our FINEST PIECE OF WEAPONRY!" Thaxton thundered.

"On the contrary, your temper is our finest weapon. And also the dodgiest; in fact we have an entire ethics department devoted to it, and its frequent misfires. Agent Tyler told you they were benign, and you gave us until right before the hour was up. It's not our fault you're impatient and you judgment is quite obviously impaired. Now, let's get down to the problem at hand and start debriefing those fickle things…" Carla retorted forcefully, tossing her backpack at the flustered General.

He didn't respond; simply fumed and rushed off to dispose of the equipment he'd been given.

Carla proceeded through the radioactivity scanner, up the lift and down the hall where her group of executives were lounging about in the detainment chamber, along with the Raxelmari, who looked quite disconcerted at having to be interpreted back and forth.

The agent tossed one of them a translator 'com and gestured for him to press a button.

"Well, what do you know…" The 'com projected, as the Raxelmari, whichever one he was, smiled contentedly.

Warren slumped his shoulders. "Carla, how long has that been in your pocket?" He asked with a groan.

"Since we dropped off with the parachutes- oh, now, don't give me that face, we were a little busy… not to mention Mister and Missus Rosetta Stone over here seemed to have been a step ahead of me." She fussed, and Warren sighed, leaning against the wall to brood once again. It had been a taxing day, and it wasn't yet over.

Now that the Raxelmari, who turned out to be Xiandi, the more sensible one, had the translator, there was little hindrance in the conversation and the debriefing went smoother than anyone ever thought possible. As usual, the Doctor was prattling, Rose was reigning in his ranting by reaching the logical conclusions, Warren was sulking and Carla was smirking and Pete Tyler was sipping his coffee and staring apprehensively at everyone in the room. Just another mission, another alien race, another disaster averted.

But something about this assignment seemed different, especially to Rose. There was something the Raxelmari weren't telling them; perhaps it was something they themselves hadn't even found relevance in yet. Rose was quite taken by them, and how remarkably human they seemed, and how alien she seemed to herself, with all her political jargon and negotiating vernacular. Maybe it was the fact that the Doctor was there with her, making her recall all the things she'd kept to herself on all of her other missions.

And yet, maybe it was the companionship. The Doctor, she knew, was very good at making an impossible group of people work together and function, and most of all enjoy themselves. With a team like they had today, so many things could've gone wrong, and she was prepared for those scenarios. She wasn't prepared for so many things to go right. For the TARDIS translating matrix to still work inside her head, or the aliens to be honorable heroes of their planet, or for Carla to know exactly how to avert the laser… none of these things she could've ever perceived. Because the last time she'd been with the Doctor and nobody had died, he'd been an entirely different man, and she an almost entirely different woman. And to think that that much time could lapse before another happy ending… it was surreal.

The party resituated themselves in the miniature lab-station after the debriefing session and the Raxelmari argued over whose turn it was to hold the translator, all of which went in and out of Rose's head in both languages. Carla set to work inspecting their module, more out of her own curiosity than for the understanding of those present.

It was tiny, ironic considering its significance. Little nodes and receptors covered its surface and a tiny swirling mechanism that defied all of Carla's known physics spun in the center.

"Why, it's a… teeny little vortex manipulator!" She squealed, like it was something adorable.

"But, oh! What's all this for… and this button surely- oh?" She carried on like that, the Doctor leaning over her shoulder with an amused grin. He could've undergone complete diagnostics of it with the push of button and the whir of the screwdriver; but he'd decided to let Carla have her field day with it, especially since he knew she'd be impressed.

"The vortex manipulator, madam, should not be judged by its size." Felspon chastised, once he'd pried the translator away from his comrade.

"No, of course not! I'm quite impressed, if not more so because it's so small! I mean, the intricacy, to have regulated it to function at such a minute frequency…well the potential formulas hurt my head! I, well, my attempts to harness the vortex have all be failures, so I bow my head to you, fellows." She exclaimed, holding it between two palms like a treasure to be admired.

Felspon smirked, giving her a dry laugh. "It's Rasputin's design."

"Oh… well, I-" Carla amended, her lip twitching to one side as she handed it over to the Doctor.

"Carla! Honestly, it's not like he sneezed on it! In fact, that actually would've been a solution to our little problem, so I rather wish he had…" The Doctor rambled, toying with the nodes on the module.

"Such a clever little thing." Rose remarked.

The Doctor beamed. "Why thank you, Rose!" He replied, to which she snorted, biting her lip. "Oh, I suppose, you are too." She said, and he frowned, indignant.

Jake, who'd before been chatting with Warren, strolled over to them purposefully. "Doctor, stop playing with that thing and try getting it to work, would you? It's not like you don't have enough shiny toys back at HQ."

The Doctor frowned resentfully. "Well, haven't you been listening, Jake, we _can't_ until we have a bit of DNA from Rasputin."

"As to why, though, I still don't fully understand." Rose added, looking to the Raxelmari.

"It's… well, more of a legend, really, a last ditch effort." Xiandi offered with a shrug.

"We got here using the time energy supplied from the module, the same design Rasputin himself used to get to Earth. The right energy supplied at the right moment, it would unlock the warzone and prevent the paradox that would destroy our planet." Felspon added.

"Wait, wait, wait, hold on- a paradox? Why am I just now hearing about this?" The Doctor said, putting the module down to rub his temples.

"The war will rage on endlessly if we don't stop it at the exact moment… the module is preprogrammed already to place us in the right time streams required to complete the mission." Xiandi explained.

"Rage on endlessly… it's not even happened yet as long as you weren't lying about the 'we're aliens from the future' part of your alibi!" Carla countered.

"No, no, Carla, it's a _paradox_; meaning the two time streams have coincided catastrophically, and because the war occurs in the future everything we're saying, everything that's happened today is a fixed point in their history. If that event doesn't happen, if that module isn't reactivated then '_kaput'_, a paradox forms. Paradoxes are nasty, Carla, trust me."

"A fixed-point, like because everything has technically already happened to them, the whole thing has to happen now?" Carla asked, her brows furrowing together.

"You're getting the idea." Rose offered as the Doctor paced.

He grabbed his hair was he orbited the lab table, rapidly changing directions and muttering to himself.

"All of this, the module, Rasputin, the war, all of it connected, in time, together…. We have to think!" He murmured.

"I'll leave that to you, thanks." Rose said a hint of teasing in her voice.

It was lost on the Doctor. "Yes, leave the thinking to me…" he muttered.

Xiandi and Felspon shared a look, and Rose bit her lip to hide a smile. "Sometimes he gets ahead of himself… has to pace to catch up with his own thoughts. It's rather entertaining, if it wasn't always so suspenseful." She explained.

"Rasputin!" He shouted triumphantly. He skidded over to the Raxelmari, his eyes wild and excited. "Rasputin, yes, it's all linked to that dastardly monk, isn't it? The mystery shrouding his death, the module's inlaid data, the two of you, here, _in this time period with me_ looking for _his_ DNA! It's all so simple! The two of you, _you_ had to have killed Rasputin!"

"We," Felspon said, gesturing to himself and Xiandi with disbelief, "kill the most notorious traitor of Raxelmari history. And how?"

"That… is the right question! And I have the right answer!" The Doctor beamed.

"This war of yours, it raged on long before you, until it capsized, harmed by a paradox that was _caused_ by Rasputin. But he sealed his own fate; he led you here, with his design, his design that could only be reactivated with his genetic signature. And if what I know about the history of Raxelmar is correct, then you've been here before. You were responsible for Rasputin's death, or at least, you're _going_ to be! Very soon, actually, so I hope you're up for it." He explained, gesticulating with enthusiasm.

Carla threw her hands up in exasperation. "What the 'ell are you on about, John?"

The Doctor grabbed her forearms, smiling. "It's time, Carla, and I'm so completely immersed in it! Time, it's so deliciously misshapen… wibbly-wobbly if you will. But if I know anything, and I know practically everything, it's that they're here for a very specific purpose, and so are we. They're the stuff of legend…" he said, with a candid wink at Rose, "…and they don't even know it yet."

Rose pulled him away from Carla, as he continued to grin like a schoolboy. "Explain yourself, Doctor." She instructed, glancing around the room at their flabbergasted faces, especially that of the anxious Raxelmari.

The Doctor grinned slyly, grasping Rose's hand in his, and turning to face the visitors to Earth.

"It means, we're going to send them _back in time_."

* * *

Carla swiped her card against the authorization lock of Warehouse 4, locating in an annexed section of East London, which bore the tell-tale Torchwood insignia that was now widely recognized by the public. "Thank God I didn't throw this thing away…" She murmured as she bustled into the room, burying the key card in her pocket.

Rose's breath hitched as she gazed around the room for the first time in two months. For a whole week straight without any respite, she and her team had sent her through countless time streams searching for the Doctor. Carla has carefully overseen the mission, and calculated the wounds in time caused by Donna Noble, and their resolution… also thanks to Donna Noble. With Rose's expertise with time travel and the ever shifting nature of time itself, and Carla's rudimentary understanding of several previously nefarious Torchwood artifacts, they'd sent Rose to different dimensions, planets, and time streams in a mad dash to find the Doctor and repair the gaping hole in the universe caused by the Daleks.

And now, she was back, to a place where she'd never thought she'd see again. She'd hoped- staked the rest of her life on it, actually - that once she'd found the right time stream in the right dimension, on the right planet… that she wouldn't be coming back. Because she'd be in the TARDIS with the Doctor, just as it should be.

She'd even said her goodbyes, right before she embarked on the project. She'd said farewell to her mother, Mickey, Tony, her Dad, and everyone she knew. But, of course, once the right configuration had been found to put her in the right place, well, her mother and Mickey had followed her anyway.

And now here she was, standing here with a human- Doctor, sending aliens back in time to kill Rasputin.

"So this is where the magic happened, then?" the Doctor said, a hint of disdain in his voice.

Carla grinned smugly. "And you're looking at the magician!"

The Doctor crossed his arms, looking over the complex amalgamation of wires and whirring contraptions and blinking screens. "_You_ were responsible for this?" He asked.

Carla shrugged. "No, Torchwood built it. The former one… I figured out how it worked, tweaked a few things. The whole system is piloted using these wicked formulas, and if the coordinates are slightly off, then they might as well be all the way off. We were looking for the 21st century in our sister dimension… if anything didn't plug in just right, well, the whole thing had to be rebooted. Lord knows what they planned to do with it before we overtook it… something to do with the Cybers, surely. But their original method was so much more subtle, like, it just kind of bled through. This, well, it shoots a hole in the universe. I never would've considered using it if the situation hadn't been so dire. I mean, let's be honest, the universe already had _plenty_ of holes in it by the time we were able to make this thing operational." She explained as they surveyed the machinery.

The Doctor appeared impressed, nodding occasionally. Carla continued "But, I suppose, with the proper tweaking… it could be used to send someone back within this dimension. Though, I wouldn't know the coding for that. All the data we'd been using had featured the inter-dimensionary physics… but I suppose if you-"

"…were able to produce the inverse formulas, the data would revert to lock in place to this universe only… All the other time streams, other than this one and the destination, would become useless and unreachable… not to mention it'd be a one way ticket. But I have a feeling it might be time to shut down Warehouse 4, eh Carla?" The Doctor concluded.

"My feelings exactly. I'll leave the math to you, though, sir." She answered with a sly smile.

The Doctor grinned roguishly, leaning over the monitor Carla had indicated.

Rose ushered the Raxelmari over. They'd been particularly silent since they no longer possessed the translator. "_Give the Doctor a moment, and we'll have you in Tsarist Russia in no time at all! Is there anything you need to prepare?" _She asked them.

"_We have everything we need, the module, our finest weapons, a solid directive… all we needed was a mind like yours and the Doctor's to get us where, and when, we needed to be. Quite extraordinary to think that all of this was fated." _Xiandi replied.

"_Fixed, not fated." _Rose said with a small laugh.

"_Nevertheless, thank you for all of your help, because it has been exceedingly kind and valiant, even if it was all written in time." _Felspon added, actually appearing gracious, and even giving her a slight bow.

Xiandi smiled. _"You'll go down in history with us, Dame Rose. The golden haired woman who guided us to our fate… and her Doctor." _

The Doctor, turned his head toward them. "_Dame Rose indeed! Defender of the Earth, the girl who saw all of time and space!" _Rose grinned at him, adding, "_The girl who met the Doctor and saved the world."_

He beamed at her, his eyes growing soft until Carla cleared her throat loudly. "Um, I'm not sure what either of you just said, but save the doe-eyes for a less crucial moment, please, John."

The Doctor rolled his eyes at her jest and focused once again to the screen in front of him; drilling numbers and equations into the keypad like it had been rehearsed.

"There you go, then, December 29, 1916! Brilliant…" He said, locking in the code.

Rose stared blankly at the screen. "_As soon as you press that button, Doctor, we'll never be able to travel between the universes again, under any circumstances. Any 'impossible journey' will be just that, impossible… it'll be the end of, well, our old life, for certain." _Rose whispered to him, aware that Carla couldn't possibly understand her.

The Doctor grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. "_I know, Rose. But I have the memories of that 'old life' you speak of, and that's all I need if I'm with you now. And I am. We don't need the TARDIS, or different planets and adventures to be happy. Because that's not what it took for me to fall in love with you, Rose Tyler. So, I mean it when I say that it's easier to sacrifice that 'old life' than you think… especially since I'm starting a new one, with you." _He said, pulling her to him.

She held on to him tightly, burying her head in his chest as he gathered her in his arms sighing deeply. He glanced over to the Raxelmari, who had undoubtedly overheard, and their expressions were of admiration… more so in Xiandi's case than Felspon.

When he and Rose finally pulled away, ignoring Carla's glum expression at being shut out of their conversation, the Doctor crossed over to the Raxelmari, offering his hand out.

The Raxelmari nobly saluted him. "_I do wish we meet again, Doctor." _Xiandi said, shaking his hand once he'd realized the intention.

"_Well… if I did my 'navigating' right, I don't suppose we ever will." _The Doctor remarked.

Carla cleared her throat, even louder than before. "This a fantastic display of human culture, a friendly and civil farewell, a salute, a hand-shake. And that's all just _dandy_. But! If you don't mind, I'd like a picture." She said, fishing around for her camera deep in the pocket of her trench coat.

The Doctor gave her comical shake of his head and ushered Rose over, posing with the Raxelmari; who seemed rather scared of the camera, especially after the harsh flash.

"Perfect! You two look a little short, but that's something to laugh about later." Carla said, stuffing the camera back into her coat.

The Doctor raised his brows at her, and she rolled her eyes. "Proceed!" She said, in a tone more fitting for the word 'Shoo!'

He took a deep breath, gave a curt nod to the Raxelmari, who stood with their module primed and ready in front of the vortex amplifier that would send them back in time. He slammed his fist into the launch button, which he'd heard was infamous for sticking, and with an electric crackle and a brilliant flash of light, their alien comrades were gone.

* * *

There was a different air about Torchwood then before the St. Petersburg assignment. It had been a huge success, something of which seemed to rarely occur at a facility where only two people had had any real experience with alien life; that being Rose and Mickey, and one of them had left.

But now, it was common knowledge that the new Head of Time Travel played a key role in that success. And it was just as common to know what that success had entailed for him. John Smith was like a walking legend. He'd gone from mysterious rookie, to the hero of Torchwood in a matter of days after the mission. To the people of London, it was hard to say what exactly had happened since everyone was so tight-lipped, but hear tell it had been quite impressive.

It certainly overwhelmed the world when it became quite evident that Rose Tyler and the enigmatic John Smith were obviously the subject of the other's reserved affection. Questions were raised, photos were taken, rumors were spread… but the man of the hour himself was blasé on the issue.

The Doctor strolled through the halls of Torchwood, his new custom trench coat billowing behind him, like a lord in his castle, munching on a banana and whistling to himself on the way to his office.

Shoving through the door, he tossed his banana peel with precision into his associates trash can; earning him an enthusiastic whoop from Warren, making the Doctor laugh. He eyed the picture frame on the wall, an addition to the one of him and Rose in Cardiff, which held a photo of the two of them next the Raxelmari, who did indeed tower of them comically.

He swiped his car keys from his desk, jingling them in the doorway for Warren to see. "A by-product of your recent pay raise, I presume?" Warren remarked, spinning away from his computer to look at his boss.

"Yup! And I sure hope it's fast, because I've quite a lot waiting for me at home." The Doctor answered him, tossing the keys in his hand.

Warren raised his brows. "The way you drive, John, the best of luck."

"Shut it!" The Doctor said, raising a finger to him as he left the room, receiving a teasing snort from Warren in response.

The Doctor stepped into the lift with a chuckle. He'd grown to actually _enjoy_ his assistant, something he'd never thought possible.

He sped home, skidding into his parking spot, and as he stepped from his car, he looked up to the fifth floor of the building, where a certain familiar silhouette was moving about next to the window. He smiled, darting up the stairs in anticipation.

A flat of their own… he was excited, and surprisingly, nervous. He didn't doubt he'd enjoy it, but the sensation of it was a tad overwhelming. When they'd been living in the mansion, there was still a feeling like he was only visiting. Of course, the flat wasn't necessarily permanent either, but, it was far more personal for the two of them. It was the next step towards a house, and whatever that would hold. The Doctor made a sigh of relief that this apartment didn't have an extra bedroom; he wasn't quite ready to face the proposition of filling it, though he did believe he'd warm to the opportunity far sooner than Rose would.

He slipped the key carefully into the door, locked or not, he simply wanted to know what it felt like. Everything that belonged to him was behind that door; it seemed poor form to just barge in without ceremony.

Once he'd stepped over the threshold, he sighed with contentment, seeing the late-day sunlight streaming in through a window, and Rose seated cross-legged in front of a semi-circle of boxes, their minimal furniture shoved against one wall. She flipped her hair over one shoulder, standing up and seeming to take a mental inventory.

The Doctor saw his opportunity and rushed up behind her and lifted her up at the waist, to which she responded with a yelp as she cried out his name. He laughed, spinning her around in his arms and planting a tender kiss on her lips, which she returned, holding either side of his face. He took a deep breath as their faces hovered an inch apart, taking in her scent and smiling.

"Hello…" He whispered. "Welcome home, Doctor." She breathed back, kissing him again as they slowly melted into each other and down to the spotless hardwood floor.

"There's nothing else I'd rather call 'home' than you, Rose."

**So! Hope you were able to follow it! It definitely throws you into the mystery and resolution right there in the beginning, so I suppose it helps to read this chapter and the last back-to-back. BUT! I'd REALLY like your feedback on this chapter, to see if I got it right ;) **

**And so the romance thickens. I imagine the Doctor to be prepared to spend his life with Rose, but a bit apprehensive about the domesticities of it all! Not to mention a little put off with the work scene. But I really enjoy writing his reactions with the Torchwood agents and how his behavior is so different from all thier rules and objectives. Because the Doctor adds such a nuance to things that is very intriguing and it's part of what makes his morals and motives so interesting. **

**I also hope you liked my alien race, the Raxelmari. First time I can ever say I've written something like that! **

**So, I'll stop rambling now, but _pretty please with a_**_ **cherry on**_** top,** REVIEW  **so I know what direction to take this in! **


	6. The Doctor Comes to Dinner

**'Ello! another chapter, significantly shorter this time, and a lot, well, fluffier. Enjoy! REVIEW! (please)**

Jackie Tyler looked over the spread in her dining room, smiling with satisfaction.

"Jacks, no one is going to eat that much. I hope you realize-" Pete began.

"Nonsense! I won't hear it, Pete. I've seen that man eat, and I'll have you know, he's always brought an appetite." Jackie combated.

Pete shrugged. "Certainly doesn't look like he eats much."

"Well, if the Doctor doesn't want his portions, I'm sure _you'd_ be more than happy to have it!" She retorted, smoothing her skirt and walking back into the kitchen annexed off to the side.

Jackie Tyler had never even stepped foot in a house so big before she'd "remarried" but, she couldn't say it had taken her long to get comfortable with it. Plenty of closet space, for all her new clothes, of course, and all sorts of furniture and knick-knacks she was more than happy to spend a pretty pound on.

But she was a house-wife and a mother first and foremost, and however habitual her love of luxuries had become, she still never shied away from the opportunity to set up a dinner party.

Tony sat on the bar stool, rocking it back and forth. Jackie gave him a look, which got him to straighten up in a flash.

"Is the Doctah and Rosie coming for dinner?" he asked, scrambling from the stool to his mother. She lifted him up onto her hip, bending down to check one more time on the brownies in the oven.

"Yes, Tony. They'll be here in a few minutes; _should _be here, anyway." She answered, glancing down at her silver wrist watch.

"They'll be here soon, Jacks." Pete said, taking Tony from her.

"For a Lord of Time, he is notorious for being late." Jackie remarked.

Pete chuckled. "Call it one of his many _human_ flaws. Who's to say it's not Rose who is keeping them behind?" Jackie laughed, flitting back and forth between the stove and the dining room.

Not a second later, Rose came in through the front door, calling out to her parents. "Right on time, then, yeah?" She said as she greeted her mother with a hug.

"For once. Where's your Doctor?" She asked, hugging her back.

Rose laughed. "Getting a few things from the car… for Tony." She said, stooping down to rumple her little brother's hair.

Tony jumped up and down in anticipation and ran to hide behind the staircase. As soon as the Doctor walked through the door, laden with boxes, Tony leapt out latching onto his leg giggling. "Help, I've been ambushed!" he shouted, making Tony laugh.

The Doctor deposited the boxes at the bottom of the stairs, prying Tony from his leg and tossing him over his shoulder, the three-year old boy shrieking with laughter.

"No worries, I have the assailant right here." He said, swiveling around for Rose to take Tony from him, who was still pealing with laughter. It was amazing to Rose how someone so small could have so much energy so consistently.

She placed him on the ground, and he was like a coiled spring; once she'd released him he shot off towards the boxes, trying to pry them open. The Doctor lifted him up, his feet still scrambling like a dog held over water, as Jackie chastised him for being overly excited.

"Oh, there's no such thing as overly excited, Jackie. You're only three years old once after all." The Doctor replied as they proceeded to the dining room.

"Oh, like you'd remember, you ancient thing, you." Jackie spat back lightheartedly.

"Oi! Of course I remember… it was one of the best times of my life. No responsibilities; yet. Oh, yeah, you bet. I remember it." He responded.

"Doctor, you still don't have any responsibilities." Rose dead-panned, with a bit of a chuckle.

The Doctor raised his brows. "Excuse me, then, Miss Tyler, but you are speaking to the Head of Time Travel." He retorted with an air of smugness.

"I don't mean to cut in on your shameless flirting, but weren't you the Lord of Time anyway?" Pete interceded, pulling out a chair for his wife.

"Now there's an observation… the Lord of Time." The Doctor said, with an official wave of his hand as if he was displaying a title.

Rose scoffed. "It's a _Time Lord_… makes up more of a difference than you think."

"Well… what would I be anyway if you hadn't been around to humble me?" He said, taking her hand and kissing it.

Rose smiled up at him. "Well, for one thing, you'd still have really big ears…" She countered, earning an 'Oi!' from the Doctor as they sat down at the table.

Jackie cleared her throat. "How about let's not talk about spacey stuff for one meal, yeah? How's the flat coming along?"

Rose turned to her mother with a soft smile. "It's um, it's great… you know, there's not that much stuff between us, so it didn't take long to arrange everything."

"Doctor?" Jackie inquired. He turned his attention back to her from where he'd been lost in thought.

"Oh, yeah, it's been brilliant. Nice floors, eh Rose?" He remarked. Rose nudged him underneath the table, only eliciting a burst of nervous laughter from him and a knowing glance between Pete and Jackie.

Tony spoke up obstinately from the end of the table. "Mum, where are the brownies?" He whined, his fork clenched in his little fist.

Jackie frowned. "Eat your vegetables first, sweetheart…you're just like your sister, I swear."

Rose shrugged. "I eat them now, at least." She offered.

A silence fell over the table as forks scraped against plates, and glasses were raised and lowered from lips. Each one tried very hard to keep from bringing up Torchwood, or the TARDIS, or the other universe… but it was like tearing out the first 500 pages of the textbook and then trying to comprehend the last 100.

Finally, the Doctor turned to Tony. "So, Tony, what's your favorite super-hero, then?"

"You, Doctah." He answered with a toothy grin.

The Doctor laughed. "But Tony I'm not-" Rose cleared her throat loudly. "- supposed to reveal my secret identity to anyone, okay?" He finished with a whisper. Tony nodded vigorously, his mouth shut tight.

The Doctor smiled a cheeky smile, quite pleased with himself as Rose rolled her eyes. "What about… oh, I don't know, what's your favorite book?" The Doctor asked.

Tony tapped his chin in careful thought. "Dr. Seuss… like the ones with the Cat and the Fish." He answered.

"The Cat in the Hat, lovely!" The Doctor replied, exuberant. "I'll simply _have_ to get you a boxed set." He added, beaming.

Rose looked at him with a quizzical smirk. "Look at you, already intent on spoiling him…"

The Doctor shrugged, taking a bite of his dinner contemplatively. "I like taking people to all sorts of wonderful places. I get off on it I suppose. So, if I can't physically take him someplace marvelous, the next best thing I can give him is, truly, a good book. He could go anywhere… 'Oh, The Places You'll Go'!" He responded.

Rose flashed a tiny grin to herself as Pete and the Doctor began discussing something or other about publishing, and Jackie continued to scold Tony on his eating habits. She looked up at her Doctor, animatedly talking and laughing and enjoying himself. He had a family, now. One she'd been able to give him. And she wondered, briefly, when they'd start making their own. The 'if' was inevitable, but the 'when' was completely foggy in her mind. She'd never even considered having kids, because before Tony, she hadn't particularly cared for them. But even with that experience aside… if they were the Doctor's children, she'd love them no matter what.

'But' she thought, 'I'm jumping way too far ahead of myself… we've only just unpacked our flat!'

Once everyone had finished their meal, and Rose had gone into the kitchen to help her mother with the dishes, she could hear Tony's shouts of merriment and the Doctor's kind-hearted laugh as he presented Tony with his "prizes". Most of it was Torchwood junk fashioned into simple games, but the largest box, when opened up, was a "spaceship" with little left over parts from the alien tech department. The Doctor had been very excited to give it to him.

Rose shook her head comically, hearing the two of them playing in the front room, zooming up and down the stairs.

Jackie looked over at her daughter. "So, how is it, _really_?" She asked, nudging her daughter with her elbow.

Rose sighed, raising an eyebrow at her mother. "Well, I mean, it's a valid question, since you were so anxious about it before!" Her mother countered.

Rose bit her lip. "It's… new. Sometimes, I just, see this look on his face, like he feels a little lost or out of place, and other times he just looks so… happy. It isn't as hard as I thought it would be, but with the Doctor, it's going to take some serious adjusting." She explained.

Jackie shrugged. "Have you shagged him yet?" She asked curtly.

"Mum! What on Earth are-" Rose burst out in a harsh whisper. Jackie waved her hands up at her. "I'll take that as a no then! I just, you know, always figured that was the case with… the other one, and maybe you were biding your time, but I guess not. I mean, it's no wonder the man doesn't feel welcome yet." She said.

Rose rolled her eyes, viciously scrubbing a plate. "So, what're saying, Mum? That he won't like it here until I sleep with him? That wasn't the case with the other… one. It wasn't like that. I mean… the Doctor wouldn't… ugh."

Jackie raised her brows. "The look on that Time Lord's face, Rose, trust me, he wanted to."

Rose laughed. "Yup, the bloody curse of the Time Lords sure was a turn off." She joked, which made her mother snort with laughter.

"Are you talking about me in here?" The Doctor said, rounding a corner. Rose and Jackie couldn't control themselves, leaning over the sink and guffawing at him. He looked quite perplexed. "What did I say?!" He demanded, which only made them keel over harder.

The Doctor grinned roguishly, lifting Rose up from the sink by the waist and setting her on the counter. "Now, Miss Tyler, I don't take very kindly to being made fun of." He mused.

Rose bit her lip, the spray faucet still within reach. "Oh, I'm sorry; did I hurt the feelings of the Oncoming Storm?" She mocked. The Doctor laughed, and without a moment's notice Rose sprayed him down with the faucet hose, and he yelped, holding his hands up to avoid the deluge. "Get it, Oncoming _Storm_!" Rose yelled, and the two of them burst out laughing again. Jackie didn't even seem to mind that the floor was soaked. She stopped feeling the humor when she soon found the Doctor and her daughter kissing rather heatedly against the counter.

"Enough! Take the Storm somewhere else! Or better yet, clean up this mess you've made all over my new tile flooring!" Jackie exclaimed, throwing a dishtowel at them as they pulled apart.

She had finished loading the dishwasher as they were cleaning the floor, leaving the two of them alone in the kitchen. Rose glanced at his drenched dress shirt.

"I suppose you'll have to strip that off now." She said, flicking his shoulder.

"I'm afraid I can't take off my shirt, Rose. It's the curse of the Time Lords." He replied with a wink.

Rose sat up. "Oh God, how much of that conversation did you hear?" The Doctor shrugged. "Pretty much all of it, really. Torchwood's taught me a lot about espionage, I'll mention."

Rose sighed, burying her face in her hands. "Perfect, then you heard my mum being all racy."

"Sure did!" he responded with a laugh, and Rose groaned, leaning against the cabinets in exasperation.

"She was right about one thing though." He added.

"And what was that?" Rose asked, wringing out the towel.

"I _did_ want to. I mean, I didn't look at it in the sort of way your mother mentioned it. But, it was something I did want to share with the woman I loved. If certain things hadn't made it inconvenient…" He explained, sitting up against the cabinets with her.

Rose bit her lip, taking what he'd said to heart.

"You said you did want to… but _do _you?" She said finally.

The Doctor gazed into her eyes fondly, drinking in the sight of her so close to him. He slowly grabbed her face and pulled her into a long, intricate kiss. Rose pulled away eventually, breathless.

The Doctor smiled faintly at her. "Does that answer your question?"

**D'awww... so there you are then. A bit of a fluffy break from the madness of Torchwood. They are learning to be domestic together, too, after all. :) Hope you enjoyed this little addition, and I'm bust right now writing the next installment!**


	7. A Different Kind of Daylight

**Chapter 7, everyone! Enjoy! And thank you so much for anyone who has reviewed and kept up with this story! This is for you :)**

Rose knelt on the kitchen floor of her new flat, sifting through the icebox beneath the fridge for a bag of frozen vegetables.

The Doctor lounged on a stool at the breakfast bar, peeling a banana and reading the newspaper. The headlines were intriguing to him, featuring politicians and alien anomalies unique to this universe. He reveled in the thought that those figures of state that would have recognized him in the other universe now knew no more of him than a new employment with Torchwood, at least since it had been a month since his last "public" mission. He could bear that though; no one had ever acknowledged his feats of daring and honor back where he came from, either.

He thought for moment, as he often did, if his other self was out there making headlines still; in that vague 'read in-between the lines' way he'd always done. He wondered if he'd found a new companion, if he'd regenerated… but most of all he wondered did the other Doctor think of their world as much as he did of his.

Rose made a clatter in the kitchen situating pots and pans on the stove-top, whistling a low tune. She glanced over at her Doctor, at the far off look in his eyes, as he pondered infinity. The set of his jaw, and the way his eyes seemed to be looking at nothing and everything at once; she loved his thinking face. She hated to break his reverie, but she cleared her throat anyway.

He flicked his eyes towards her, smiling blearily at her. "Hmm?" he answered.

"Peas or carrots?" she asked again.

He sighed waving his hand. "I dunno… peas."

Rose made a mock pout. "Oh, the pressing day in the life of Torchwood agent John Smith…peas… or carrots?" she said, raising the bags emphatically.

"It's a charmed life, for sure." He said, grinning ever so slightly.

It was though; he had Rose and Carla and Jake and plenty of missions and inventions to keep him busy. He had a family for the first time in centuries; and though he never imagined he'd grow fond of Jackie, she'd grown on him immensely. Not to mention Tony and his antics kept him on his toes. But the spontaneity of travelling had been all he'd ever known. While domesticity was deliciously quaint and appealing, he needed something more.

But he shoved those thoughts from his head. He refused to be dissatisfied. Here he was eating dinner with the love of his life in a flat they'd bought together; what more could he ask for?

Rose leaned towards him across the counter, kissing his nose and then his mouth chastely.

"What's bothering you?" she inquired.

"I ain't bovvered." He said with a wink.

Rose smacked his hand. "Nonsense. What's been mulling about in that fantastic brain of yours?"

The Doctor smirked. "Fluff my ego, then, Ms. Tyler."

"It'd be nice if you returned the favor, Mr. Smith." She teased.

He sighed, surrendering the banter. "I- can't we just go away for a while? Paris, Moscow… Barcelona?!" he said, gesturing.

Rose raised her eyebrows. "Barcelona?"

"The Spanish one, Rose." He quipped.

She pursed her lips, thinking of how to reply. "I thought you said you were happy here? Commitment, remember? You said when we bought this flat it was gonna be you and me and no more nonsensical nostalgia."

He reached over to grab her hand. "Rose, I'm perfectly happy… and I'm not bored… just-well, I wish we could see something outside of London and Wales. Make memories for ourselves. Don't you want to look back on our life together and say 'We never gave up, we never stopped being _us_,' Rose. Because that's what I want… with you."

Rose looked away from him as he squeezed her hand. "I suppose everyone needs a vacation… And there is technically _loads_ of places we've never set foot on, this being a parallel universe and stuff-"

The Doctor watched her as she rambled on, suggesting different places and continents and activities. He grinned at the realization that she'd thought of all of this a thousand times before, and only needed him to bring it up.

"-and I hear Florida is lovely in April, and not just Florida, anywhere on the Gulf of Mexico. We could go and visit Kennedy Space Center! You'd get a kick out of that!"

The Doctor nodded as she smiled at him.

"But… Dad would give me a dirty look if I said we were leaving when everything's so busy." She added. Her face fell, ever so slightly.

She raised her eyebrows. "Or worse… He and Mum will come with us."

"All I know for certain is Carla's bound to be upset unless she can come too. And in all honesty, I don't see why not. I just need to get away from London; I don't care if I have to share my vacation with the Master himself!" He remarked, eliciting a short laugh from Rose.

"But, Doctor, Carla? Honestly?" Rose asked condescendingly.

"She's my best mate! She wants to see the Space Center too!" He argued.

"So we've decided on Florida, lovely." Rose said, leaning across the counter. "I'll talk to Dad tomorrow, first thing… and I suppose Carla can come."

The Doctor beamed, grabbing either side of her face and planting a big kiss on her lips. "Thank you, love!"

He looked over her shoulder. "You might want to check on that pot over there…" he said, and Rose rushed over to the stovetop where the pot was boiling over.

The Doctor laughed at her franticness. "Oh, the pressing day in the life of Torchwood agent Rose Tyler!"

* * *

"Carla, it's Florida not the moon… although considering where we're going there's always the possibility of a detour." The Doctor said, looking at his friend's five bags in awe.

"Yes, you're right, it's bloody Florida with mosquitos and swamp things and UV rays. So, I thought I'd come prepared!" she replied, and looked at the suitcase Rose had propped up on the wall.

"Where's your suitcase, John? I mean I realize you're fond of that suit but…" she chastised.

"That is my suitcase. We're sharing one." The Doctor said shrugging.

Carla sighed. "Perfect; then you can help me with some of my bags!" she exclaimed, depositing three of them into his arms.

Carla sauntered ahead of them, carrying her large leather purse and dragging a pink suitcase behind her. The Doctor shared a pleading look with Rose, but she only scoffed at him. "This was your idea, don't you look at me like that!"

The Doctor limped behind the two women as they proceeded to the terminal. A loud speaker crackled. "Zeppelin number forty-seven now boarding for Orlando, Florida." It said.

"I've always hated airports… Despised them actually. It should be easier than they make it out to be to cram a bunch of people in a flying tin can." He murmured.

Rose turned to face him. "There's this thing called safety procedures, perhaps you've heard of it." She quipped.

"Never liked the idea!" he said back, winking at her.

Carla slid her glasses down her nose, glancing back and forth between them. "Sharing a suitcase, sharing a hotel room… thanks for inviting me to be honorary third wheel!" she said, crossing her arms.

"You didn't have a problem with it before! No complaining, that's what I told you, didn't I?" The Doctor protested.

Carla shrugged, indifferent. "That's a hell of a thing to ask of me, John. But you know what? I might meet a dashing young astronaut or something and leave the two of you on the ground before you can snap your fingers at me."

"It'd be no use to snap my fingers at you by that point." He replied, shifting her bags on his shoulder. "You had just better hope he has room on his shuttle for all of your luggage!"

The three of them boarded the Zeppelin, settling into their seats. Carla whips a magazine out of her purse, and peruses it for a moment before sighing and replacing it with a quantum physics text book.

"I tried to be normal… make a note of it." She murmured to the Doctor's amusement.

* * *

The Doctor breathed in the air around him, smiling at the new atmosphere. "Here we are, on a brand new continent. Our feet have never touched this ground before… different air, different people, different-"

"Sides of the road!" Carla exclaimed; interrupting him as a car sped past them on the interstate. It was only a hop, skip and a jump to the car rental, and yet she was already suffering from culture shock.

Rose laughed. "I assure you, Carla, we've been to places far stranger than Florida…"

"I'm not worried about when the two of you were in the Peace Corps or however you met! I'm concerned about whose responsibility it will be to drive." Carla remarked, flipping her hair over her shoulder as they entered the lot.

After the swiping of a card, an 'Oh, you must be from England?' and selecting a blue Honda they were on the road, to the Doctor's enthusiasm and Carla's distress. He busily folds and unfolds his map, reading it upside down and swerving back and forth between lanes to compensate for the mis-direction.

They reach their exit, with some difficulty and pull into their hotel with a halting brake. Carla stumbled out of the car, looking frazzled. "Never again…" She murmurs.

"Never again? But we've only just stopped by to check in, then it's off to the beach!" The Doctor called back to her, practically skipping up to the front desk. Rose giggles after him, glancing back at Carla sympathetically.

"Welcome to the Riviera Resort!" the clerk chirped, looking chipper and sun-tanned in his Hawaiian shirt. On the wall behind him, numerous pictures of cruise lines and natural Florida scenery are hung surrounded a dolphin mosaic; all rather gaudy in Rose's opinion.

She drifted over to the brochure shelves, which were overwhelmingly stocked with Airboat Tours and Put-Put Golfing excursions, with the thicker pamphlets showcasing various iconic theme parks. Rose bit her lip thinking of the Doctor on a roller coaster, and felt it was something she wouldn't want to miss before they went home, provided they had the money for it.

Tucked into a corner was information about the Space Center, of which there was only one pamphlet left. 'Must be their most popular attraction…' she thought, swiping the brochure. She opens it to view the pictures, and look up the address.

She skips back over to the Doctor, who is signing something; Carla has already begun flirting casually with the room service worker in charge of her luggage cart.

"We're planning on visiting the Space Center tomorrow, any idea what the best time to leave would be?" Rose inquired. The clerk swallowed, putting on a smile that extended only as far as he forced it. "

"The Space Center, well, we, uh… we recommend around… seven to get there in time." He replied, extending a hand to grab the brochure which Rose handed him reluctantly.

"Seven? But I thought it said it isn't even open for visitors until-"

"The traffic, ma'am, is awful. The best way, I always tell our guests, to get anywhere on time is to leave as soon as the sun shines. Of course, there is plenty here at the resort to occupy your time if you'd like to sleep in," He said, placing the brochure on a mail pile, "And as you can see, there are plenty of other places to visit that would be more convenient." He countered with a terse nod.

The Doctor raised a brow, but handed in whatever he'd been signing. The clerk smiled, and with a quick "Enjoy your stay!" they were dismissed.

Rose shared a look with the Doctor who laughed a little at the clerk's behavior. "Hmm, is it just me or did it seem like he was trying to discourage us from going to the Space Center?" Rose asked, linking arms with him as they headed into an elevator.

"Discourage us, don't be daft Rose. He was the nicest, most sincere clerk I've ever met." The Doctor responded, his voice thick with sardonic jest.

Rose elbowed him playfully, and he laughed, as the elevator 'dinged' their arrival on the third floor.

"Now let's go find our suite." He said, bouncing out the elevator.

Rose followed him as he rushed down the hallway. "Doctor, what about the Space Center?" She asked.

The Doctor stopped in front of their room, turning to face her. "I'm not about to turn down an adventure, especially if someone doesn't seem to want us there. All the more reason to go, I should say." He answered, grabbing her face to kiss her forehead before bursting into the room.

Rose grinned after him. "I was hoping you'd say that."

* * *

Rose and the Doctor waited for Carla downstairs; the Doctor's feet tapping, and knuckles knocking impatiently.

"Calm down, you look like a nervous wreck." Rose said, as she flipped a page of her travel guide, highlighting their route. The Doctor sighed, stretching out laterally on the sofa and peering up at Rose through his spectacles.

"What do I look like your therapist?" Rose teased. "You're the Doctor, not me."

He grinned, putting his hands behind his head. "But while I'm here, why don't I regale you with one of my many life stories…" Rose laughed, hitting him lightly with her travel guide, to which he promptly overreacted.

Carla rounded the corner, covered in sunblock.

The Doctor swung his feet down, biting his lip to keep from laughing. "Mitsy… what did you do, sink into a tub of that stuff?" He teased.

She scowled at him, putting her sunglasses on. "Come off it… or would you rather me blister up like a tomato? No, I thought not. Now, let's go and try not to die tragically on the motorway thanks to your quote-unquote 'driving'." She retorted, already hurrying out the doorway.

Rose and the Doctor snorted to contain their laughter as they followed after her. But other than the humor in the situation, Rose was kind of taken by surprise with Carla.

She'd never seen her without a lab coat and her black attire. She strutted ahead of them in red shorts and a flowery blouse, complete with bright yellow sunglasses and a wide, floppy sunhat. She looked festive enough, but that wasn't what put Rose off-guard; instead it was the excessive body art she'd never before laid eyes on, thanks to the black tights and long sleeves. There were birds, musical notes, flowers, Chinese symbols, silhouettes; she was like a walking-gallery.

The Doctor didn't seem the least bit fazed. Perhaps he was simply used to unexpected things. But frankly, all it did was make Rose very curious about her. What had she been like before Torchwood and what had life dealt her? She wondered if any of it had influenced her snarky remarks and cold wit. She went on to wonder how cloudy her past must seem to Carla, with "John's" being even more cryptic.

Once they'd reached the beach, and the Doctor and Rose lay under an umbrella sipping iced tea, it felt much more like a vacation. The sand here was so foreign, and Rose ran it through her fingers like a sieve.

"Doctor, what's your most favorite place on planet Earth? Honestly? I mean, we both know how much aliens like London, but, there's got to be somewhere more beautiful than that." Rose asked.

The Doctor sighed, rolling over to face her, taking a sip of tea from the straw.

"Hard to say… on any given day I'd have said London, because of the memories I'd made there… with UNIT and fighting off aliens and meeting some _amazing_ people. But now that I live there, there's this sort of disenchantment about it. I still love it, but… my most favorite place? Hard to say. Paris maybe… in the 1880's. Peru… natural, real Peru. Santorini, Venice, Cairo… in its hey-day." He answered.

"A place, Doctor, not a city or a time… something unique to this _planet_ not this race. Like this beach. This beach is gorgeous because nothing created it. It formed over time and became… this all on its own." Rose explained.

The Doctor looked over at her, his Rose; and decided she looked the most beautiful when she was admiring something, in awe of it. That was something he'd noticed long ago, a reason he'd wanted to keep travelling with her for as long as he could. He was selfish, because every time he showed her a new galaxy, a new planet, a new civilization lost to time, he saw her when she was at her most breath-taking.

Surprising her, he laid a tender kiss on her temple before answering. "You know there is this one place, when I think about. A little retreat of mine; in the mountains of Zakopane, Poland, and in the spring the land is so green and lush… it looks like a place where time can't touch it, and there's a lake like a mirror in the valley. Sometimes I landed the TARDIS at the peak, and just looked down on it all. I… sort of forgot about it, to be honest. There were tons of places I'd been to that I'd revisit from time to time, just to appreciate the scenery. But this place was so distinctly… _Earth_ that is sticks out in my memory."

Rose closed her eyes, leaning into him and letting him wrap his arms around her. She laughed a little bit to herself at his lack of shame. Recently his displays of affection had been flamboyantly public, and as much as she enjoyed being the recipient, it was certainly a new sensation.

'What can I say… he's even snogged me in front of _himself_ before,' she thought with a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" The Doctor asked, pinching her arm.

Rose turned to give him a noxious smile. "You, what else?" She answered.

The Doctor gestured to himself, mock frowning. "How could you say such a thing? It certainly can't be the way I look… I mean I'm the _portrait_ of desire, after all."

"Of course, the utter definition." She bantered. He laughed. "No, that's you… I'm simply the portrait."

She gave him a loving peck on the cheek, feeling his smile and his blush as she nestled her head under his chin. They watched the people on the beach, the Doctor's eyes scanning everywhere for Carla. She'd split the scene a little over an hour ago. And while he'd been more than happy for time alone with Rose, especially when he wouldn't be harassed by his friend whenever he stole a long gaze at Rose – she was impossible to resist _clothed_, in a bikini it was even more distracting- but he'd begun to wonder what had happened to her. There was only a wisp of daylight left in the sky, and the nightlife surrounding this area didn't seem too friendly to someone like Carla.

'She certainly _looks_ like the nightlife type without that lab-coat and layers,' the Doctor thought, rolling his eyes.

As soon as he'd thought so, he saw Carla come stumbling towards them in the sand, stepping over towels and sunbathers. "Oh, that was depressing…" she muttered, collapsing underneath the umbrella. Despite the gallon of sunblock, her shoulders appeared tinted pink and the backs of her legs were an entirely shade from the front.

"What was, dare I ask?" The Doctor responded, tossing her a bottle of water from the small cooler they'd brought with them.

"Well, there was this _cute_ guy over by the pier, and I decided, 'alright Carla, romance lies before you like an endless highway, you just have to pull out onto the road'-" "Lovely analogy. Very fitting." The Doctor interjected. "Thank you, now, so there he was and I walked up and said 'hello' and he looked like I'd poked him because of my accent, I suppose, and then he said 'hey yourself', but Christ he was hard to understand! We stumbled through some introductions and he kept talking about Alabama, and well, I couldn't understand him at all! So, I thought 'abandon ship', and I told him I had to go… but then as a reflex I said 'call me' and I nearly slapped myself until he said 'yeah, sure' and I'm thinking… he didn't have a bloody idea what I just said. So, it stands to reason, our love was not fated to be. I can't just speak _everything_ like you and Rose. Thus, I am depressed." She recounted.

The Doctor cringed at her story, giving her an apologetic look. "Sorry, Mitsy… but you know, we can't all be as ready to take a hint as _some people_." He said, mildly gesturing to himself.

Rose scoffed. "Yes, _some people_ are Mr. Thick Thick Thickety Thick-face from Thick-town."

The Doctor avoided her gaze, swallowing. "Sorry. About the… well, what did I do?"

Rose raised her brows. "Yeah, you know, it doesn't surprise me that you don't remember. You were drunk and you swapped saliva with a French aristocrat."

Carla snorted, trying to avoid laughing at her friend as he squirmed. "Oh, John, this second-hand embarrassment is atrocious." She said with a condescending laugh.

"That… was- well, I can't say I regret it." The Doctor stammered. Rose socked him firmly in the arm. "Oi! I never told her I _loved_ her though, did I Rose Tyler?" He countered.

"Touché." Rose replied coyly, elbowing him lightly. Carla rolled her eyes. "At least the two of you make up… would be one hell of a vacation if you didn't." She opined. Rose shrugged, tilting her head as if to agree.

"He's a hard one to hold a grudge against." Rose remarked, winking. The Doctor blew air up to rustle his hair which had fallen into his eyes. "I couldn't dream of holding anything against _you_, Rose." He confessed, only a slight bit of irony in his voice. He held her gaze for a moment, until she broke it to stare out at the sunset.

It was magnificent, an explosion of orange, sinking and burning into the horizon which melted up into purples and reds and the hints of blue from the last breath of daylight. The ambiance of waves lapping the shore and crashing over each other made it all the more breath-taking. And with the Doctor's hand in hers, his laughter ringing in her ears she decided, for now, this was her new favorite place on Earth.

**Welp! That was part one :) Next chapter= Space Center, and whatever delightful disaster awaits them there ;) **

**Once again, thank you for those that reviewed, and I'd really prefer to hear your opinions this time around as well. Hope you enjoyed it!**


End file.
